Internal Damage
by Jenny wrens
Summary: Gibbs and his team rescue two little girls from a murder scene. At the same time, Abby's car is blown to smithereens, nearly killing her. Gibb's gut is screaming at him that the two instances are related but how could they be? Gibbs has broken rule 10 many times, but this time it's by choice. Gibbs/Abby as Father/Daughter. Team as family with a small hint of Jibbs.
1. Chapter 1

_**Author's Note:**_

 _ **New to the NCIS fandom. Needed a break from my usual fandom and thought I'd try my hand at NCIS.**_

 _ **I enjoy the family aspect of NCIS...I've only watched up to Season 7...that might affect my writing if you've watched up-to-date shows.**_

 _ **I'm a fan of Jibbs and see Abby, Ziva, Tony and Tim as Gibb's kids.**_

Leroy Jethro Gibbs took a long draught from his bottle of bourbon, gritting his teeth as he swallowed and wiping his mouth with the back of his free hand. He stared at his newest structure, still nothing but a skeleton. He closed his eyes as he envisioned the finished project. The image of it sailing briskly across the water brought a brief smile to his lips. The last two boats he'd managed to finish had left him feeling less than fulfilled. Gibbs always felt like he was attempting to create something that was just beyond his reach, like a wisp of something in another dimension. Oh, sure, they served their purpose and allowed him to deal with the stress and emotional upheaval of being an NCIS agent, but deep inside, he still felt an inner void, like a part of him was just going through the motions. Gibbs shook his head as he sat on the bottom step of his basement, feeling much more exhausted than he'd felt in a long time; staring at the skeleton of his new boat only further discouraged him. He'd already managed to break rule number ten. More often than not, he did that. He hated that about himself.

"Damn it," he muttered, anger creeping up on him again.

He pounded his fist into the wall, attempting to beat the feelings down. He was usually more careful with his emotions, but when kids were involved, he always felt sucker-punched. This time was no exception. This time not only kids were involved, but HIS kid too. Bushwhacked square in the gut with all the wind removed from his sails, Gibbs groaned and looked at the bottle in his hand, feeling tempted to down the rest of the retched brown liquid just to numb himself. He shook his head gravely, reluctant to release his tight grip on the bottle. He had been clinging to it like a lifeline since he'd wandered down to his basement to escape. With a guttural sigh, Gibbs set the bottle down on the step beside him, raking a weary hand through his hair. He glanced at his watch and groaned loudly. 0400 hours. Time had escaped him. Apparently, he'd been blankly staring at the blasted boat and drinking for several hours. He'd accomplished nothing in all that time, all the while longing and hoping to become inebriated just to escape. Except he hadn't. Gibbs was still stone sober. The visions in his head hadn't allowed him to become drunk. His anger and outrage hadn't allowed it either. As much as he didn't want to visit his thoughts anymore, his mind berated him with them anyways.

Earlier that day, Gibbs had stridden into the bullpen grabbing his gun and badge while instructing his team to grab their gear. It hadn't been an unusual event; he did it almost weekly. Director Sheppard had told him that there was a murder in Quantico. They were ordered to the scene of what they suspected to be murders of some petty officers. It was definitely nothing out of the ordinary for them; all in day's work for NCIS. Nothing about that day had been out of the ordinary. Nothing at all except the day had turned out to be horrific.

Gibbs rubbed the back of his neck as he felt a tension headache growing in momentum. His gut had let him down. Usually it gave him some kind of inclination that something terrible was about to happen, but this time, nothing. He had no warning. Unbeknownst to them all, Abby had been in mortal danger. The subtle urgency of the murders had stolen his gut instinct. He'd dropped the ball, and Abby had almost been killed. Everything continued just like it always did. His right-hand man, Tony DiNozzo, had goofed around like normal, earning himself a smack in the back of the head. The gesture had become an expected norm between himself and the younger agent, and the act itself always seemed almost cathartic for both of them. Tony was a younger version of himself, and like a son to Gibbs in all the ways that counted. The youngest member of his team, Tim McGee, who was always on the receiving end of Tony's pranks, had stoically put up with the man's antics while attempting to gather his gear. Tim was like the youngest child in the family, always the one being teased and picked on by the older brother. A small smile tugged at the corner of Gibb's lips as he remembered, Ziva David, his third agent, a Mossad officer, and a daughter of his heart, muttering to herself about how they needed to be sat on like babies.

"It's babysit, Zee-vah," corrected Tony, the usual bratty smirk on his face as he corrected her.

Ziva always managed to mix up American idioms. Gibbs would never admit it to her or anyone, but he found it kind of endearing. Instead, Papa Gibbs took the lead and rushed them from the bullpen.

Gibbs and his team arrived at the scene and cautiously entered the house only to stand gaping at the shocking sight. It looked like a massacre. The split-level ranch style home had been ransacked, the front entrance kicked in and the scene that greeted them was appalling. Bodies, or rather the remnants of human bodies, were strewn across the living room floor, blood splattered across the walls and furniture. The four of them stood wide-eyed in shock as they were unwillingly assaulted by the scene before them. Gibbs had felt his stomach churn when he saw a glimpse of a child's remains. He noticed the colour drain from Tony's face as the young man's eyes followed his own. Ziva's cool bravado waned instantly as she digested the horror. Each of them was aghast and speechless. Gibbs hadn't dared to speculate further until Ducky, his chief M.E., arrived. Ducky confirmed three dead; two females and one male, one of the females being a child. Tiny limbs lay scattered across the carpet. Once Ducky identified the fragments, it became all too easy to decipher the child's remains from the adults' making everyone in the room painfully silent. Then, as if that wasn't enough, his phone had rung out adding more insult to injury. A brisk voice on the other end of the line alerted him to the fact that his forensic scientist's car had exploded in the parking lot, very nearly killing her. Torn and shaken to his core, he had stood stark still, struck speechless, his heart racing fiercely in his chest.

Gibbs felt tears burn his eyes as he fiercely blinked them back. He wouldn't allow himself to lose his grip. Not now. Too much was at stake, and he needed to keep his emotions in check. Gibbs looked at the bourbon again, tempted once again to finish the whole damned bottle. His gut was like iron after all these years, surely another sip wouldn't do any more harm. He grasped the bottle firmly in his hands and slowly tipped it to his lips. He again gritted his teeth as the drink washed down his throat, silently wondering why he'd picked bourbon as his drink of choice. It always burned going down and never once had it numbed him like he hoped it would. It left him feeling just as empty as before he drank it. He stood to his feet, overwhelmed with anger and careened the bottle across the room. It shattered instantly as it hit the brick wall. Gibbs watched as the liquid ran down his basement wall. Closing his eyes, his memory assaulted him with the vision of small fingers, detached from the tiny little hand, lying grotesquely on the floor beside a human tongue. There was no doubt in anyone's mind how horrendous the deaths were in that room. The killer had brutally dismembered each victim. Ducky had yet to determine if it was done post-mortem or not. Gibbs didn't even want to hazard a guess. It just made his stomach churn, and he feared it would deceive him.

"Gibbs? May I come down?"

Gibbs felt his whole body startle at the voice from the top of his steps. He looked up into the darkness and squinted an eye. He knew who it was. Relief hadn't stopped washing over him. His kid was safe.

"Why aren't you asleep, Abbs?"

The steps creaked as she took a few steps down. Not all the way.

"Nightmare," she all but whispered. Her voice sounded much smaller and younger than she really was.

"Ziva?"

A few more steps creaked as she continued her journey down the staircase. Gibbs opened his arms and within seconds, the daughter of his heart flew into them, sobs rippling up and down her small frame. Gibbs pulled her in tight to his chest and caressed her dark hair, still tightly bound into high pigtails. He rested his chin on her head, inhaling her sweet scent. She always smelled like cherries, probably from the icy fruit, slushy Caf-pows she consumed daily. Gibbs speculated that if Abby did her own DNA analysis, her blood would be partly made up of Caf-pows.

"S-she's sleeping," muttered Abby, her voice muffled in Gibb's shirt.

He hugged her tighter to his chest, silently thanking the powers that be for her safety. His gut had let him down, and he had nearly lost her. His heart was still trying to recover from that.

"Want to tell me about your dream?" he asked, rubbing gentle circles on her back.

She shook her head, pushing him away. "Gibbs, why did you bring us back here?"

"Need to know you're okay, Abby."

"I'm fine."

Gibbs dropped his hands to his sides, staring intently at his forensics scientist. "Rule number 7, Abbs." His eyes met hers intentionally and she dropped her gaze to the floor. He heard her choke back a few more sobs causing him to pull her into his arms again. He hated to see his girls so upset, but it had been an upsetting night, and he couldn't do anything to make that go away.

"D-director Sheppard is with them. I heard them crying, Gibbs. Such a pitiful sound. I c-can't get it out of my head."

Gibbs held Abby close knowing exactly what she was referring too. He had heard that hopeless cry before, coming from deep within his own soul. A cry only released when someone is in such utter and total despair, having witnessed something too horrible to comprehend. He kissed the top of her pitch black hair. After her car blew up, he'd ordered an agent to bring Abby to where he was. He hadn't known what else to do. He needed to know she was safe as much as she needed to be close to him to feel safe. The only way he could do that was to have her close to him and see her with his own eyes. It had been a bad idea. Her light green eyes quickly filled with tears when she saw the crime scene. Her own plight quickly forgotten once she realized the atrocities of the room. Gibbs hadn't forgotten, however. Someone had dared to hurt his girl. _HIS_ girl. Someone had blown up her car and nearly her person. The horror of the crime scene laid out before him was bad enough, but the thought of losing another daughter shook him to his core. Someone was going to pay dearly for it.

"Do you think they saw it happen?"

"Dunno, Abby."

"Who would do something so awful? And why? She was just a little girl! They're just little girls, Gibbs. I-I-I don't understand." Abby's voice quaked and was muffled. Gibbs had learned to read his little Goth girl a long time ago. Gibbs pulled away and tipped her chin up so he had her eye contact. He looked intently at her.

"You need to get some sleep, Abby. Things will look brighter in the morning light." His voice was firm. He gripped her clammy hand in his own as he led her up the stairs into his kitchen. He continued leading her into his living room and towards the sofa. From the corner of his eye, he saw the other daughter of his heart asleep in his armchair, her lips set firmly in despair. It worried him to see Ziva looking so tense in her sleep. Whatever happened to peaceful slumber? Where ever it was, it wasn't happening in his house tonight.

Gibbs motioned to Abby to lie down. She whimpered her disagreement but lay down. Gibbs covered her with a blanket from the back of the sofa.

"I can't sleep, Gibbs-" He saw her bottom lip quiver. He knew she was frightened and confused.

"You're safe here, Abby. No one is going to hurt you."

"How can you say that?" Her large eyes pleaded with him. She opened her mouth again to speak, but he pressed his finger firmly to her lips.

"Shh..." His look was loving and reassuring. "Lay back, Abby. Try to get some rest."

He leaned into her, kissing her cheek. "No one is going to hurt you, Abbs," he repeated firmly. She looked at him, as her eyes fluttered. He knew she was tired. They were all tired. She nodded and wriggled down further into the sofa. He didn't suppose she would sleep, but he hoped she, at least, would remain where he placed her. He grabbed another blanket and gently placed it on Ziva. He placed a warm hand on her brow and caressed her hair. She didn't stir which was, again, very odd for his older girl. She was always on high alert; always ready to jump into action. He allowed himself a moment to stare at her troubled form. Placing a soft kiss on her head, he looked towards the stairs. He didn't want to mount those dreaded steps, but he would. With one last glance at Abby, letting her know with an intense look to stay put, he slowly made his way up the stairs. As he approached the top of the landing, he could still hear the morose whimpers. The same ones he had attempted to escape from earlier. He hated feeling helpless.

Gibbs came within reach of the handle of the door and hesitated for a moment, leaning his head against the frame. His heart clenched within his chest as he heard Jenny's soft voice speaking words of comfort. He closed his eyes and for a split second, he was ripped back in time hearing his wife, Shannon's, voice speaking those same words to their daughter, Kelly. Gibbs felt his heart speed up in anticipation only to trip on the memory causing him to fall into disillusionment. He shook his head. It wasn't Shannon. She was gone and so was Kelly. It was Jenny's voice he was hearing. Why did he always allow himself to go there? the hurt was supposed to fade, but somehow it hadn't. He quietly opened the door and blinked his eyes in the darkness.

"Jethro?"

"How are they doing, Jenn?" It was a stupid question. He could hear the whimpering. He knew they weren't sleeping.

"They're terrified. I can't get them to settle. It was a bad idea to bring them here. We aren't social workers."

"Let me try."

Gibbs walked towards the bed and flicked on the light. Two sets of eyes blinked at the brightness of the light and stared at him, eyes set into hollow cheeks, open wide in horror and fear. He saw Jenny rise to her feet. Her red hair was askew and her green eyes were bloodshot. She looked exhausted. He shouldn't have allowed her to talk him into leaving her. Jennifer Sheppard knew nothing about children. He just felt that they would accept a woman's presence better than a man's, but maybe he was wrong. He sank to his knees and looked at the little girls in his bed.

"You're safe. No one is going to hurt you," he replied, gently echoing the same words he had said to Abby. He meant them. As long as it was within his power, no one would hurt them or anyone else in his care. That was a solemn oath. One he intended on keeping come what may.

The oldest child's mouth opened to speak but no words came out. Her tear-streaked face was dirt-smudged and mucous ran from her nose and into her mouth as she choked back sobs. Gibbs inhaled a sharp breath as he looked kindly at the child. He didn't reach out to comfort her as much as his heart screamed at him to do so. He had already tried earlier only to have both girls recoil from his touch. The older girl didn't look any older than eight or ten years old. Her blond hair was matted to her forehead from tears, sweat and mucous. She was clinging tightly to the other child, several years younger than herself. Her sister? The younger girl, also blond, wasn't moving. She wasn't crying. She was just staring straight ahead and was covered in dried blood. Who was he fooling? Maybe he should have called child services after all. But somehow Gibbs couldn't do that. His gut was screaming at him to keep them safe. His gut had awakened, and there was no way in hell he was going to ignore it. The girls were witnesses, and he had no idea what they'd seen that evening.

"How's Abby?"

Gibbs looked away from the girls and made eye contact with Jenny. He didn't want to reflect on how frightened Abby must be. He just wanted her close by so he could keep an eye on her. He needed to know his girls were safe. All of his girls.

"Scared."

"Jethro, what the hell happened today?"

Gibbs looked at Jenny, feeling every pound of his 185-pound frame crushing his knees as he remained kneeled in front of the frightened little girls. He licked his dry lips, not knowing how to answer her.

"Dunno, Jenn."

He didn't know. But he was going to do his damnedest find out.


	2. Chapter 2

Gibbs blinked his eyes a couple of times, willing himself to wake up. His eyes felt gritty like he was rubbing them with his hands covered in sand. His arm was asleep, and when he attempted to lift it to get the circulation moving, something prevented him from moving it. He forced his eyes open, blinking at the bright sunshine teeming into the room. He must have forgotten to pull the shades the night before. Movement beside him caused him to startle. His eyes darted to see what was preventing his arm from moving, and in an instant, the events from the night before came flooding back. He closed his eyes again in a meager attempt to block out the memories. He felt more movement against his arm causing him to open his eyes once again. Gibbs sucked in a sharp breath when he realized he was lying in his bed and one of the small girls had snuggled up against him in her sleep.

Gibbs felt his heart rate increase as he stared at the small child. The youngest blonde-haired girl had maneuvered herself in her sleep so that she had one leg tossed across his midsection and her little face buried in his arm. Gibbs felt a smile tug at the corner of his lips. The child likely co-slept with her parents and was used to the comfort. He remembered when his own daughter had done the same thing. Shannon and he had had a hard time keeping Kelly in her own bed and had often woken up with the child snuggled up between them. He'd forgotten how much he missed it. Gibbs gently caressed the child's hair, cherishing the moment. The child instinctively snuggled closer to him in her slumbering state of unawareness. It was easy to see that the small child had been loved and cherished by her parents.

His eyes traveled across the room to see Jenny asleep in the soft oversized easy chair, her long red hair strewn across her face. Gawd, she was beautiful. He'd given a small part of his heart to her in Paris and he couldn't seem to recover from that. Perhaps, if things had been different—no, he wouldn't allow himself to go there. There was no point. Things weren't different, and he couldn't go back.

Gibbs felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. Suddenly, he felt glad he'd decided to set his phone on do not disturb the night before, when he'd lain on his bed, hoping his quiet presence would somehow comfort the girls and not terrify them any more than they already were. His phone ringing out loud now could have been a catastrophe had they awoken. Gibbs carefully slid himself out from beneath the small child clinging to him. _You haven't lost your touch, Jethro,_ he told himself as he rose to his feet without waking the child. He glanced at the older girl who was curled up in a defensive ball on the other side of the bed. His heart went out to her. Even in her sleep, she looked frightened and fretful. His phone continued to vibrate in his pocket dragging him outside the room. As he quietly closed the door, he flipped his phone open and whispered his name in greeting.

"Gibbs."

"Did I wake you, Boss?" came the tentative voice on the other end of the line. Gibbs immediately recognized the timid, apologetic voice as McGee's. Gibbs glanced at the watch on his wrist realizing how early it still was.

"Did you sleep, Tim?"

The pause on the line answered the question loud and clear.

"McGee!" Gibb's made his irritation known.

"Sorry, Boss, couldn't sleep. Tony and I stayed up and finished the crime scene in Quantico and the Navy Yard. How are the little girls?"

"Sleeping, thankfully, but not gonna lie, it's been one helluva a night."

"Abby?"

"She's hanging in there, Tim. What'd you two figure out?"

Gibbs heard Tony's voice in the background, seeming to relay more information to Tim, but it was muffled not allowing him to make it out.

"Where are you two, anyways?"

"Quantico, Boss."

Gibbs heard some more muffled voices, and he felt himself growing impatient.

"Talk to me, McGee!" Gibbs snapped.

He heard some rustling around in the background.

"Hey, Boss, it's me," said a new voice on the line. "McGeek didn't get his Mojo this morning, so his brain is still fuzzy." Gibbs heard more shuffling around in the background, and he could just picture Tony fighting to keep the phone away from Tim. Gibbs rolled his eyes, his hand itching to smack them both in the head.

"Enough, DiNozzo-"

"Yes, Boss. MS-13 is involved."

Gibbs cursed under his breath. MS-13 was a criminal gang notorious for their use of violence that predominantly consisted of merciless revenge and cruel retributions. They dabbled in some of the worse underground activities around the world with a huge presence in human trafficking and drug trafficking. How on earth had two, seemingly run-of-the-mill, Petty officers get mixed up with such a big cartel? MS-13 was not known for random hits. They were very intentional people.

"Identified the victims?"

"Chief Petty Officer Jonathan Percy and his wife, Petty Officer Rebecca Percy nee Johansson were identified along with their youngest child, two-year-old Sarah Percy. The two other girls are Aimee Percy, nine years old and Janessa Percy, five years old. No living relatives."

Gibbs blinked hard at the information. Poor kids were alone in the world. _Damn it,_ he muttered to himself.

"Ducky has a full confirmation on the cause of death," continued DiNozzo, "He and Palmer worked most of the night to get a jump on it."

"Give it to me in a nutshell, DiNozzo."

"Petty officers shot and killed then dismembered." Tony hesitated, and Gibbs could hear him swallow loudly. "The little girl was alive when she was dismembered."

Gibbs gritted his teeth. He didn't want to hear any more. "What did you find out about the explosion at the Navy Yard?"

"Not much, Boss. Uh, we sorta need Abby to—"

Gibbs closed his eyes knowing perfectly well what Tony meant. Abby was the one who usually figured those kinds of things out for them. But there was no way in hell he was going to let Abby touch this case. Not until he knew for sure if it was a personal attack or just a random occurrence.

"Get someone else, DiNozzo!"

"On it, Boss."

Gibbs snapped his phone shut and leaned against the wall. His eyes burned from fatigue. He needed some coffee.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Gibbs sat at his kitchen table, relishing the quiet and enjoying a hot cup of coffee. As the liquid washed down his throat, he felt the caffeine awakening his senses and allowing him to think more concretely. He needed his wits about him to figure how things were going to proceed in the coming minutes. Soon the small girls would awaken and all hell would break loose again. He needed a plan.

"Gibbs?"

Gibbs looked up to see a bed rumpled Ziva staring back at him.

"Hey, Ziver, get any sleep?" He stood up and poured another mug of coffee and offered it to her.

Ziva accepted the mug with a grateful look and took a sip. "Some."

"Abbs?"

"She is still asleep. How are the children?"

"Still asleep. Jenny is with them."

Ziva nodded and sat down at the table. The two of them stared at one another in comfortable silence as they drank their coffees.

"You okay, Ziva?"

She shook her head. "No, but this is not about me. I have seen much worse in Israel. I think you know that."

"Ya, I do. Doesn't mean it gets any easier to see something like that, does it?"

"What's the plan, Gibbs? You cannot keep those kids," she answered, avoiding his question, her face blank so as to not betray her emotions. Typical Ziva.

Gibbs looked up from his coffee, a small smirk forming on his lips. Ziva still underestimated what he could and couldn't do. Gibbs played by his own rules and no one else's. The powers that be that put him in the position knew he was a laconic, hard-headed investigator who operated by his own set of rules. They also knew he was damned good at what he did and he accomplished what he set out to do, no matter the consequences. That kind of expertise and shrewd leadership gave him more freedom than anyone dared to acknowledge. Gibbs operated over and above any standard set of rules.

"They're witnesses, Ziva, and MS-13 is involved."

Gibbs saw Ziva's eyes widen. Just as he thought. MS-13 was worldwide.

In that moment shrill screams filled the air, pulling both agents on their feet immediately. The serenity of the morning disappeared, now it was time for action.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

"Jethro!"

Gibbs recognized Jenn's panicked call. He took the stairs two at a time, followed by Ziva and a half-asleep Abby. He rushed into the room to see the older girl, Aimee punching Jenn with all her might while kicking and screaming hysterically. The younger girl, Janessa, sat in the bed howling at the top of her lungs. Gibbs immediately went to Jenn's rescue and wrapped his arms around the flailing child, embracing her in a tight, immobilizing hug.

"Hey, Aimee! Calm down, honey, I know you're scared but Ms. Sheppard isn't going to hurt you. Shhh…"

He held her firmly and spoke softly, as he gently rocked the tense body. The little girl fought against him, continuing to kick and scream. Her small frame was no match for his. He held her tightly, trying to give her time to adjust. He continued speaking to her softly reassuring her that no one was going to hurt her. At the same time, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Abby wrap her arms around the smaller girl.

"Lemme go!" shrieked Aimee, elbowing him hard in the ribs. Her body was covered in perspiration making her slippery to hang on to.

"Aimee, calm down," he repeated softly and was suddenly surprised when she stopped struggling and looked up at him with wide eyes.

"How do you know my name?" she demanded, this time realizing she had heard him say her name.

"Promise me you're gonna listen to my words?" Gibbs surprised himself at how fast he slipped back into parent mode, using familiar words he'd used with his own daughter in years past.

Aimee hiccupped as her chest heaved in and out, out of breath from the altercation. Gibbs looked at Jenny, whose face was still white. He couldn't be sure but he speculated she might have been attacked in her sleep, taken off guard by the little girl. There was a nasty, angry scratch down the side of Jenn's cheek.

"I promise," whimpered the girl.

Gibbs released his grip a little, gauging how the girl would react once he let go. She didn't move to escape but rather relaxed against him. Reassured by her movements, he let her go completely and gently turned her to face him. He lowered himself until he was at her level and smiled at her.

"I have a friend named Tim who has a little finger scanner. He can place your finger on it, and 'tada', it magically knows who you are."

Aimee blinked back tears that were still filling her eyes. "He scanned my finger?"

"Yup." Gibbs figured a little lie wouldn't hurt at this point. He'd managed to capture her attention at any rate, and she'd stopped screaming; that was an improvement.

She looked down at her finger. "My finger can tell you my name?" Skepticism was written all over her face.

"Yup."

Aimee continued looking at her finger. Gibbs could see the gears in her head churning as she tried to piece together what he'd told her.

"You're Aimee Percy and you, over there," he pointed to the other wide-eyed girl sitting in Abby's arms, "are Janessa Percy. You're five." He winked at her. Janessa continued staring at him in awe with her mouth gaping. Gibbs saw Abby smirk at him.

"Did my finger tell you how old I am too?" asked Aimee, giving him a thorough once over. Gibbs could tell the girl was sharp as a tack. She was sizing him up, trying to figure out if she was going to trust him or not.

"Told me you're nine years old and in grade four at Quantico Public School."

The girl's face reddened suddenly. "Well, my finger lied," she countered, her lip quivering.

Gibbs furrowed his brow. "How so?"

"I'm nine and a half, and I'm homeschooled." Immediately the girl's eyes flooded with tears once again and she collapsed to the floor, sobbing.

Jenny eyes' met Gibbs as they both knelt to the floor beside the sobbing child.

"Is my mommy going to come get us soon?" asked Janessa, suddenly vocal.

Gibbs looked up at her from where he was kneeling on the floor. Aimee looked up at her sister, red-faced and choking back sobs.

"She can't Nessa. Mommy and daddy are dead!" Aimee looked at Gibbs, her eyes shimmering in tears. "Tell her, Mister. Tell her they're dead and so is Sarah! Tell her!" Aimee screamed at him, reaching up and scratching at his face. Gibbs gently took her hands in his and pulled her in close. This time she didn't fight his touch, instead, she melted into it. He caressed the back of her head and looked at Jenny. Jenny had tears streaming down her cheeks as well. How much had this kid seen before she'd taken her other sister and squirreled herself away? Gibbs truly hoped they hadn't witnessed their parents and baby sister being slaughtered. How could anyone recover from that?

"Shh—it's gonna be okay, Aimee. You're safe with me, kiddo."


	3. Chapter 3

_**Authors note:**_

 _ **Thanks for all the follows and faves. Thanks for all the reviews too.**_

 _ **NCIS is a new fandom for me, and I'm still trying to figure out the characters.**_

 ** _Realistically, it's going to take awhile for Gibbs to create a bond with these girls in order for them to confide in them. The action might be a little slow in the beginning as Gibbs works to gain their trust. They've gone through a very traumatic ordeal so it's going to take a while to work through a little of that._**

 ** _Abby is also going to be stirring up some trouble once she realizes that Gibbs isn't going to let her back at NCIS until he finds out more about her car exploding._**

 ** _Stay tuned...and enjoy the ride._**

The next several hours felt surreal for everyone as they did what they could to comfort Aimee and Janessa. Gibbs felt more than a little out of his league and was beginning to regret his bright idea to bring the little girls to his home. Time was slipping away from him, and he was becoming more and more agitated as time wore on. Gibbs was a man of action. He knew that every minute that ticked away from the crime was precious. It was time stolen away from the investigation and that could mean the case joining the thousands of other cold cases on the dusty shelves in NCIS's storage room. That was not going to happen on his watch. These little girls deserved closure and justice for what happened to their parents. After a while, Jenny had to excuse herself and return back to her office. There were other pressing cases and things she needed to contend with, but she left with a promise to return when she could.

Deep down in his gut, Gibbs appreciated that Jenny was respecting his decisions in the matter. She was his superior, and she could have very well pulled rank on him and called child services. Probably one of the greater things about Jenny Sheppard was she seemed to completely trust his gut decisions and rarely overruled him. He respected her for that. She had the authority to make all the calls, but she was deferring to his judgment. Of course, she also knew as well as he did that the only reason she was in the position of director at all was because he hadn't wanted the position. He was not a desk jockey. He was a field agent, and one helluva good one too, if he did say so himself. He shone in the field. Sitting behind a desk at NCIS would have killed him. Jenny knew that too. There was an unspoken trust bond between them with regards to that, so Jenny rarely, if ever, usurped his authority on any of his assigned cases. She trusted his gut, and Gibbs appreciated her for it.

Of course, that didn't mean that he didn't second guess himself... ALL. THE. TIME…especially today when he'd awoken to Janessa strewn across him that morning. The two small girls with big eyes looking at him for answers. After Jenny left, Gibbs sent Ziva back to NCIS to join the rest of his team doing the foot work for him. He made sure that several agents were assigned to his home to stand watch. He still wasn't sure what the girls had seen the night before. The kids could very well be able to identify the killer or killers. As much as it killed him to sit on the sidelines, he had to bide his time. He needed time to let the girls grow comfortable with him and perhaps even trust him even just a little. He didn't want to push them to talk until they were ready. It was impossible to expect the small children to understand or comprehend such atrocities and be able to discuss them. Involving outside agencies and more well-meaning strangers would only further complicate matters. He simply didn't have the patience to deal with stodgy agencies with annoying rules and codes of conduct. Gibbs had his own set of rules and his own agenda. And catching whoever did this was at the top of it.

Soft footsteps on the stairwell caught his attention as he remembered what he was supposed to be doing. He'd asked Abby to see what she could do about cleaning up his two little guests while he set about making some food for them all to eat. His main plan was to forge a bond between Abby and the girls so he could leave them with her when he returned to NCIS. Until he figured out what had happened to Abby's car, she wasn't going to set one baby toe on the property. Gibbs knew he was going to have a huge battle on his hands once he brought that sentence down on his forensic scientist. He was hoping having her feel needed with the little girls would somehow soften the blow.

"Hey Gibbs, look how well these two little princesses clean up."

A grin formed on Gibb's face when he saw the small girls enter the kitchen. Abby had managed to bathe the girls, cleaning them up and styling their hair as well. Janessa had her hair tied up in ponytails similar to how Abby wore her hair, and Aimee's long locks fell loosely down her back. Both children were stunningly beautiful with shiny blond hair and dark blue-grey eyes.

Gibbs had to laugh when he sized up what they were wearing. He vaguely recognized some of his clothing and bit his lip to keep from bursting out laughing at the ridiculous of the scene. What was it with Abby and her obsession with his sweatshirts?

"Where on earth did you get those shirts?" he asked, his eyes looking at Abby with amusement. He saw Abby's face flush as he noticed she too was wearing one of his sweatshirts. It wasn't an unusual sight. Many a time when Abby crashed in on him, she would raid his closet looking for the perfect baggy sweatshirt to steal. Now both of the little girls were wearing his sweatshirts as well with the sleeves rolled up. The girl's small frames made the shirts look like tiny jumpers. He recognized his red sweatshirt that read NAVY but couldn't place the green one.

"I might have gone rifling through your drawers, Gibbs. Hope you don't mind."

"It's fine, Abbs. They needed something to wear."

Abby smiled and helped the girls to sit at the table.

"What did you make us?" asked Abby.

Gibbs shrugged his shoulders and groaned as he looked at the meager fare he had set out. He definitely needed to do some grocery shopping. He didn't have much in his fridge under normal circumstances, and lately, he'd been so busy that he hadn't even managed to get any milk.

"Kids drink beer, right?"

Abby grimaced and shot him a dirty look. Gibbs chuckled at her reaction.

"I'm kidding. I am making a decadent treat guaranteed to make any kid smile."

Gibbs noticed the younger girl staring at him in wonderment. Janessa seemed to have taken a keen interest in what he was doing since entering the kitchen. Aimee did not. She looked down at her hands and didn't make eye contact with him. His heart went out to her. Poor little thing must have been terrified. Thrown into a situation where she didn't know anyone and so terribly traumatized. All he wanted to do was hug her and help take away her pain.

"I know what you're making," said Janessa, so softly he almost thought his ears were playing tricks on him.

"You do?" he asked, his eyes twinkling at her.

She nodded and stood up on her chair to get a better look. "That stuff is called hagelslag."

Abby walked over to the counter and scowled. "You're feeding them chocolate sprinkles for breakfast?" Abby looked incredulously at him.

Gibbs was delighted to hear Janessa laugh for the first time as she shook her head. She jumped to the floor, coming closer to him and stood on her tiptoes to get a closer view.

"Nooooo," giggled Janessa ushering Abby over with her hand for a closer look. "Those aren't sprinkles. It's hagelslag, silly. You butter your bread and sprinkle them on. I like to put on LOTS!" The little girl's face was lit up with excitement. Gibbs was glad to see her reaction. He silently congratulated himself for remembering the box of De Ruijter in his cupboard, a little treat he kept for himself when he was missing his little girl. It had been her favourite treat. A little Dutch tradition passed down in the Gibbs family, not that his nationality was Dutch by any means. His ancestry happened to be Scottish but his grandmother liked to pick up traditions from other lineages and add them to their own. That was how the hagelslag tradition was born in his family.

Gibbs finished buttering the bread while Abby poured some juice into cups. Janessa began jumping up and down in anticipation of the food. He figured the small tyke must be hungry. Gibbs watched the small girl as he sprinkled the hagelslag onto the bread.

"More," she said, reaching up her arm and bumping his hand so more fell onto the bread. "Make it so you can't see any butter."

Gibbs sprinkled more and then, without thinking, he scooped Janessa up with one arm and plopped her in the chair, setting her plate in front of her. The little girl didn't seem to mind his touch but focussed on the food in front of her. She eagerly picked up the bread and bit into it with a big grin on her face.

"How did I do?" asked Gibbs, looking at her for her approval.

Janessa gave him two thumbs up and continued stuffing the treat into her mouth.

Gibbs smirked at her as he turned to make a few more. Abby stood staring at him, still apparently shocked that he was feeding the girls chocolate for breakfast.

He elbowed her gently. "Try it before you knock it, Abbs," he said, offering her a plate of her own. She wrinkled her nose in uncertainty but accepted it, sitting down at the table. Gibbs set another plate in front of Aimee and gently patted her head to get her attention.

"Hungry, kiddo?"

Aimee ducked away from his touch and glowered at him. "No!" she snapped.

Gibbs looked compassionately at the little girl. He could see the fear and trepidation in her eyes. She was frightened, and he could tell that she would not leave much wiggle room for him to gain her trust.

"Wow!" exclaimed Abby as she chewed a small bite of the breakfast treat, "Gibbs, this incredible! You've been holding out on me! It doesn't taste like sprinkles at all…it's so much richer." Abby took another larger bite and smiled. "It's delicious!"

"It's the bestest…uh," Janessa hesitated for a moment and looked up at Gibbs with innocent eyes. "What is your name anyhow?"

"You can call me Gibbs," he offered with a reassuring smile.

"You make them perfect, Mr. Gibbs." The little girl looked at her sister, "Try it Aimee, he makes them really good!"

Aimee just glared at Janessa but remained quiet. She didn't touch the food in front of her.

"No mister, just Gibb's," he said, hoping to diffuse the situation. Aimee looked ready to explode or cry; some kind of reaction was building up within her. "What shall I call you?" he asked Janessa.

Janessa took another bite and chewed with her mouth open, "I'm Nessa." She smiled at him.

In that moment, the plate sitting in front of Aimee went sailing off the table and onto the floor. The plate shattered and the bread went flying across the floor. Gibbs looked at Aimee in surprise. Tears were flooding her eyes once more and running down her cheeks. His heart ached for the child. He was at a loss to know how to comfort her. She was hurting. Her parents were dead and here he was offering her food and making small talk like everything was normal. Meanwhile, her whole little world was upside down. She had every right to be furious.

Abby jumped up to clean up the mess, but Gibbs stopped her noticing that she was still barefoot.

"Sit down, Abbs, I'll get it. Where are your shoes?"

She shrugged, "I kicked them off in the bathroom." She didn't sit, but rather walked to the closet and pulled out the broom. Gibbs groaned as he stooped to pick up the larger pieces of glass. Abby wasn't one to sit still when something needed to be done. She quickly jumped in, often without giving it complete thought.

"Abby, you'll get glass in your feet," Gibbs scolded, taking her hand and pulling her away. Another plate suddenly went crashing to the floor before Gibbs knew what was happening, this one narrowly missing his head. He glanced up to see that Aimee had tossed Abby's plate, as well as his to the floor. At this rate, he wouldn't have any lunch plates left. Gibbs rose to his full height and looked at Aimee with as much kindness and patience as he could muster. He couldn't make himself be angry with her. Her reactions were not her fault.

"You're mad, aren't you?" he said, acknowledging her feelings for her and giving her his full attention.

Her large eyes were wide in fear mixed with anger. She didn't say anything but maintained eye contact with him. He admired her brazenness.

"You have every right to be angry, Aimee. I know you're frightened and everything feels really big right now."

From the corner of his eye, he could see Abby staring at him while she chewed on her lip tentatively. Janessa had tears running down her cheeks, the rest of her breakfast lying on her plate uneaten.

Gibbs crossed the floor and squatted down to Aimee's level, looking her straight in the eye. She glared at him with her bottom lip quivering.

"I saw him. I saw what he did," she whispered.

Gibbs felt his heart leap into his throat. What exactly had she seen? He looked up at Abby, quickly signing to her to take the younger girl from the room. Abby nodded, scooping up Janessa in her arms and swiftly retreating from the room. Gibbs heard her talking to the small child about making some paper dolls.

"What did you see, Aimee?"

"Where is she taking Nessa?"

Gibbs rose to his feet, pulling a chair up to sit across from her.

"Thought it would be better if us bigger people talked," he replied, offering her a little smile. "What did you see, Aims?"

Her eyes ignited. "My name is Aimee, not Aims! Only my daddy calls me that!" she snapped. Tears teemed down her cheeks once more. "But he can't call me anything now, can he?" Aimee looked up at him with such sad despair radiating from her. She didn't wait for him to respond before she continued.

"It's my fault, you know. I let that bad man come in."

"What bad man?"

She shook her head. "I opened the door without checking the peephole. He had a gun, and he shot my daddy!" Her face was white, and she stared straight ahead, tears washing over her face.

Gibbs didn't dare say anything as he looked intently at her. She looked like she was caught in a nightmare as she went on to describe in explicit detail what the man did to her father. His brows knit together in pained compassion as the nine-year-old described the unfathomable horror that unfolded. It was unbelievable what she had seen and how detailed she was in her description. The poor child had seen her father cut to ribbons in front of her. How the hell she managed to escape alive was beyond Gibbs.

"Where was your mom?"

Aimee swiped at her eyes in a useless attempt to clear her vision. Hiccups racked her small frame as she blinked back more tears.

"Mommy came home with Sarah and Nessa later," Aimee's breathing escalated, and she started to almost hyperventilate as she spoke. "She was screaming and the man hit her. Mommy yelled at me to take Sarah and Nessa and run away. The bad man grabbed Sarah by the hair. I didn't know what to do so I grabbed Nessa's hand and ran away to hide." Aimee's forehead was covered in perspiration as she choked on her sobs. Gibbs reached out and held her hands. "I couldn't get Sarah like my mommy said." Her face contorted in agony as she admitted the words

"You did great, honey. You were very smart to hide, Nessa. That was quick thinking," he commended. She didn't pull her hands away. Gibbs could feel her cold, clammy hands trembling in his. He massaged her small hands gently as she wept. "Aimee, did you recognize the bad man?"

The little girl's eyes were red, swollen and puffy from crying. Her breathing continued to increase until Gibbs thought she would hyperventilate. He could tell by her reaction that she did know the man. Her eyes flew to his and she blinked back more burning hot tears. Gibbs watched as Aimee's face drained of all colour.

"You can trust me, kiddo. I promise you I will find the bad man and put him in jail," Gibbs solemnly swore, trying to reassure Aimee.

Just as she opened her mouth to say something, gunshots ricocheted across the kitchen.

Instinctively, Gibbs jumped to his feet, grabbing Aimee and collapsing to the floor, using his body to shield her as the gunfire continued. He could hear Abby screaming from the other room. His whole body tensed up at the sound. Who the hell was shooting at them and why?


	4. Chapter 4

_**Thanks for all the lovely reviews. Believe it or not, they inspire me to keep plugging along with this story and sharing it with you.**_

 _ **It's wonderful to know you are reading along and enjoying it.**_

Gibbs reached into his pocket with one hand and grabbed his phone. He felt Aimee squirming beneath him as he hit speed dial.

"Don't move, Aimee!" he commanded, more sternly than he intended and little girl froze in place. He glanced down to see tears cascading down her cheeks. Poor little thing must be beyond terrified, he thought. He brushed a kind hand over her head to give her some comfort.

His phone rang a few times before a voice answered.

"DiNozzo."

"Gunfire. I need back up NOW!" barked Gibbs. He felt Aimee shudder beneath him as a result of his gruffness tone. He immediately lowered his voice and willed himself to speak gently, giving Tony pertinent information about the situation. He felt confident that Tony would hear the gunfire and get back up quickly. Belaboring the call was futile so he hung up. He rose to his hands and knees as he shoved his phone back into his pocket and looked intently at Aimee. He groaned as his knees cracked, complaining about their current predicament. He was getting way too old to be crawling around on linoleum floors. He leaned closer to Aimee's ear so she would hear his words through the terrifying gunfire.

"Listen to me, Aims, I'm going to hide you in the pantry, and I want you to stay put, understand?"

He didn't wait for a reply but instead headed towards his pantry, opening the door and pulling her inside. He flicked the light on as he quickly closed the door.

"P-Please don't leave me."

Gibbs looked down to see Aimee looking up at him pleadingly, her blue-gray eyes still swimming in tears. He felt his heart clench in his chest as he saw some of the beginnings of trust flickering in her eyes. Of course, he could be mistaking desperation with conviction, but he was willing to take what he could get. Only now, he felt at a loss to know how to handle things. He needed to find out if Abby and Janessa were alright, and he needed to get them to safety. He needed to find out who the hell was attacking them.

Gibbs knelt to her level, gently holding her by her arms. He looked at her with as much reassurance as he could muster knowing he needed her to feel brave enough to stay on her own when he left the pantry.

"I don't want to leave you, kid, but I need to see if Abby and your sister are safe. Do you hear all those gunshots? Whoever is doing that needs to be stopped before they hurt someone. I know you're scared. I'm scared too, but we have to be brave okay?" Gibbs lifted a calloused hand to her cheek and brushed away her tears with his thumb. "You were very brave yesterday by keeping Nessa safe. Let me go and do what I can to keep us all safe."

Aimee clasped her ice cold hand around his, pulling his hand away. She opened his fingers and placed something in his hand. He looked down to see what she had pressed in his hand. It was a Navy Cross. He didn't have time to ponder where it had come from. He simply closed his fist around it and winked at her with a look of gratitude.

"Lock the door after I leave and don't let anyone in unless you hear my voice, alright?"

She nodded and he cupped her chin in his hand affectionately before carefully leaving the safety of the enclosed room. Hearing the lock fasten from within, he settled his attention on his next move.

Gibbs expertly gripped his handgun as he crawled on all fours towards his living area. The gunfire had seemed to cease much to his relief. He glanced around the room and saw no sign of Abby or the other little girl. The gunfire had ripped his living area to shreds, peppering all the main walls with holes. The family pictures and meager artwork on his walls had all been damaged, knocked off the walls and fireplace mantel. Broken glass was strewn across the floor from what little knick-knacks he owned. He never knew why he kept them anyways. They were just dust collectors, but they reminded him of his previous life with Shannon. Gibbs kept scouring the area for signs of Abby and the little girl. Gibbs knew Abby was shrewd; she would do what it took to keep Nessa and herself safe. He did feel relief wash over him when he saw no signs of blood. He silently berated himself for momentarily panicking and picturing Abby shot dead on his floor. He couldn't help it; he felt an uncontrollable desire to keep Abby safe. Ziva could take care of herself, not that he didn't worry endlessly about her as well, but Abby seemed more delicate and innocent. He'd felt an irrepressible desire to protect her from the first day he'd met her, naturally falling into the role of father figure.

Gibbs went to his front door, cautiously and opened the door. The barrage of bullets had seemed to cease, and the silence was deafening. Gibbs could hear his own pulse in his inner ear. Sirens and horns could be heard in the distance as Gibbs vigilantly crept out the door, keeping his back to the wall. His senses were acutely aware of all of his surroundings as his eyes scanned the area, looking for something, anything, that would help make sense of the situation. He recognized the NCIS vehicle pull into his laneway. Tony jumped out the car along with McGee, armed and at the ready. Gibbs felt himself breathe a sigh of relief to see them.

"Came as quick as we could, Boss," whispered Tony, as he drew closer to Gibbs who was still tentatively glancing around his surroundings. His gut was screaming at him that things weren't quite finished yet. He felt like the intruder was still close by. He couldn't completely let down his guard just yet. Gibbs nodded towards Tony ushering him in the other direction around his house.

"McGee, find Abby."

Gibbs watched as Tim nodded and disappeared into the house. He continued walking around his house, scouring for details and evidence. His vigilance to his surroundings was so distinct that he nearly tripped on something hidden in the grass. He glanced down and screwed up his face in anguish. He took a few steps back when he realised he had nearly tromped on Agent Stan Benson's hand. He quickly leaned over and felt for the man's carotid pulse in his neck. He sighed in relief when he felt a strong pulse beating under his fingertips. He did a quick evaluation of the man and saw no external injuries. Likely the man had been knocked unconscious from behind. Gibbs bit his lip and cursed out loud. Nothing made sense. Why would someone shoot up his house, nearly killing him and everyone else inside but only knock out Agents standing guard outside? It made no sense.

"All clear, Boss," shouted Tony from afar. "Agent Myers is unconscious but doesn't appear injured."

Then, as if in answer to Tony's all clear, the shooting started again. Gibbs dropped to the ground and watched as the gunfire ricocheted off the outside of his house once more. It was as if the shots were coming from the lawn across the way. What the hell. Gibbs scowled as he remained fixed in his position. He silently prayed that Tim would have had time to take cover before the gunfire began again. His sharp eye took in the scene watching where the fire was originating. Somehow, someone had rigged up something to fire at his house.

"We need to find the power source," shouted Tony over the ear-splitting noise.

Gibbs looked towards Tony. He was in agreement with his agent, but with the shots dangerously and relentlessly ricocheting off his house, he didn't dare move and didn't want Tony to either.

"Don't even think about it, DiNozzo. They stopped before, they'll stop again," answered Gibbs in return. "Figure out the pattern and time span so we can find out how to disable it."

Gibbs saw Tony nod and snake closer to him.

"Boss, I think-" began Tony, who managed to get closer.

"I haven't done anything to piss off my neighbour, if that's what you're thinking, DiNozzo," muttered Gibbs, casting an annoyed glimpse at his senior agent.

Tony smirked with a toothy grin. Leave it to Tony to joke around to lighten up the moment.

"That didn't even cross my mind, Boss."

Gibbs rolled his eyes in response. The two of them waited in silence as the gunfire continued to ransack his house. Gibb's mind spun in a million different directions as he thought about Abby, Tim and the small girls in his house. He hated not knowing if they were hurt or injured. The minutes it took for the volley of bullets to stop once again, felt like hours. As Gibbs predicted, in time, the shooting stopped again. He turned to look at Tony who was starting to rise up to a crawling position. His penetrating look told him all he needed to know.

"Stay low," commanded Gibbs as he quickly made his way towards where the gunfire emanated from.

"On your six, Boss."

Gibbs and Tony made their way across the street and carefully looked around. Thankfully it was still early in the day and most people were still at work. Gibbs knew his neighbour, Rick Thompson, was a school teacher and didn't often return home until late. He knew that Rick was a good man and knew that whatever was up had nothing to do with his neighbour. As he made his way to the side of the house, he rose to his feet scouring the area for any telltale signs of where the gunfire originated from. If they could find the power source, they would be able to disable it.

"Could be wired into the lawn sprinkler system," suggested Tony, his eyes alert to his surroundings.

Gibbs nodded. Made sense. He couldn't see anything as he glanced around but if they were rigged into the sprinkler system, the guns would simply disappear when not firing. Gibbs didn't know how long they had before the barrage of bullets would begin again, if they did. The system could be controlled by remote or by a computer. Surely, whoever had done it would know that it wouldn't take too many series of shots to kill whoever was in his house. Drawing too much attention to it would be sloppy.

"Look around the back," ordered Gibbs. "I'll take the basement. He keeps his key under the flower pot."

The words barely fell off his lips when movement from the front step of his house caught his eye. He felt his heart skip a beat when he saw Aimee walk out onto his porch. What the hell was she thinking?

"Get down, Aimee!" he shouted. Gibbs saw Tony turn to see the little girl freeze, staring out at them.

Later on, if someone was to ask him how he got to her so quickly, he wouldn't remember. All he knew is that he needed to get her somewhere safe, out of the line of fire. He had no idea if the barrage of bullets would start up again.

Gibbs reached her side and scooped her up, dragging her around to the back of his house. He set her down on her feet and firmly shook her.

"I told you to stay put! What were you thinking?" he scolded.

Fire raged in her eyes when she looked up at him. "You're not the boss of me!" She stamped her foot in anger. Gibbs glared at her. He didn't have the time to get into a debate with the pint-sized spitfire. It was easy to see that Aimee Percy was no one pushover. Gibbs glanced around his yard quickly thinking where he could put her to keep her safe until he could return. His eyes fell upon the treehouse. He didn't know why but he had always kept it in good repair. Even though Kelly had died more than twenty years ago, he had somehow found keeping the treehouse in good shape was somehow cathartic for him. He liked to work with his hands and the familiar sight of the treehouse somehow made him feel less lonely.

Gibbs scooped the child up in his arms once more, ignoring her protests. He climbed the ladder and deposited her on the top section. He immediately stuck a finger in her face sternly.

"Stay here! Do. Not. Move!" Gibbs gave her a firm, parental stare.

"NO!" she shouted; her face red was with anger. "Where's Nessa?"

Gibbs sighed. "I don't know, and I won't be able to find her if you keep putting yourself in danger."

"I'm gonna find her!" She pushed against him, trying to escape past him.

Gibbs shook his head, grabbing her quickly before she could slip by him. "Oh, no, you don't! You stay here."

The girl couldn't weigh more than 60 pounds soak and wet, yet she was standing up to him with all her might. Gibbs could see that she wasn't going to go down without a fight. He admired her gumption.

Gibbs didn't see it before it was too late. Her foot met his face in one fluid action, catching him off guard and sending him down the ladder onto his backside. Aimee scooted down the steps and attempted to run off back towards the house. Gibbs gained his footing and was up on his feet in seconds, grabbing her around the waist. She started struggling and fighting him like a cornered wildcat. It was all Gibbs could do to keep her from escaping his grasp. She was powerfully strong considering the size of her.

"Lemme go!" Her arms swung at him and her feet kicked in every direction.

Gibbs sighed. One step forward and a billion steps behind, he thought.

In that moment, with Aimee still squirming and screaming, Tony came jogging over with a concerned look on his face. Relief seemed to wash over his features when say Gibbs holding tightly to Aimee despite her ferocious attempt to escape.

"Found the wiring panel to the sprinkler system, Boss. Definitely been tampered with. I pulled every stinking wire in the panel," Tony hesitated as he winked at the little girl who had finally stopped struggling and stared at him. "Might have been easier if McGee had tackled it, but there is no way those guns will fire anymore." Tony reached out his hand towards Aimee.

"I'm Tony. Remember me?" Aimee began to squirm again.

Gibbs groaned. "Now's not exactly a good time for introductions, DiNozzo. Get in there and find McGee and Abby!"

"Looks like she got a good hit in on ya, Boss," Tony smirked and high tailed it back towards the entry of Gibbs house.

Aimee continued to squirm and struggle and Gibbs walked towards the front entrance of his house, plopping her down on his porch swing with a firm thud. He pointed his finger at her.

"If you and I are gonna get along, missy, there can only be one person in charge. Get where I'm heading with this?" Aimee glared at him as Gibbs reached up and wiped the back of his mouth with his hand. His mouth was aching, and he figured her kick had split his lip.

Aimee crossed her arms defiantly. Gibbs knew that the anger she was displaying had everything to do with what she had gone through over the last twenty-four hours. His heart ached for her and he understood her anger. She had every right to pissed off. But right now, he could use a little less attitude and a whole lot more cooperation. He wanted her to trust him but she also needed to know that he was in charge and she must obey him.

"C'mon, let's go inside."

He took her small hand gently in his and led her back into the house. He felt relief wash over him when he saw McGee holding Janessa in his arms and Tony attempting to peel Abby off his neck. As soon as Abby saw him, Gibbs was nearly knocked off his feet as Abby catapulted herself into his arms. He could still feel her trembling, her hands like clumps of ice.

"Found them in the basement, Boss," said McGee, caressing the back of Janessa's hair. Janessa looked up at Gibbs and smiled at him. Gibb's lips formed a half smile. He was glad they were all safe. The house could be repaired but it would have killed him to have lost any of his team. He needed a new safe house. And he needed to find out what was going on.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo-

Several hours later found Gibbs, Abby and the girls back at NCIS. Janessa seemed to immediately warm up to the grandfatherly Ducky and happily skipped along with him to look at the ducks in the Navy yard. Gibbs still had yet to discuss Ducky's autopsy findings of the Petty officers and hoped to hear the results soon enough. For now, Janessa's comfort with Ducky seemed to take precedence over that and Gibbs needed a break. Aimee had fallen asleep in Jenny's office after several more showdowns with Gibbs. Her stubborn demeanor had just grown worse since the attack on his house. He had thought he was starting to get somewhere with her but now she had just become even angrier. Gibbs was happy to be relieved of child duty. He sat at his desk in the bullpen nursing his coffee. It was hot, black and strong, and he needed it. He needed the caffeine boost to help awaken his senses. He was physically tired from lack of sleep and emotionally tense from fighting with Aimee. As much as he loved kids, he wasn't used to having to stay so patient.

Jenny was searching out possibilities for a safe house for the girls as well as himself and Abby. She agreed with him that the girls were in danger and needed a safe place. He planned to put Abby on babysitting duty as soon as possible in order for him to get back to figuring out the case. He still had yet to make his way down to the forensics garage to find out if they knew anything about Abby's car. Tony had found some people to do Abby's job.

"Gibbs!"

Gibbs looked towards the sound of his name to see Abby tromping up to him in her black platform boots. Abby looked pissed off and Gibbs did not look forward to his next challenge.

"Gibbs! Someone is in my lab! Someone is touching my babies, Gibbs! MY BABIES!" There was a hint of panic in her voice as her eyes pleaded with him.

"Calm down, Abbs," replied Gibbs, rising to his feet wearily and placing his hands on her shoulders. He looked over at Ziva who was busy working at her computer. His almost imperceptible nod towards the elevator let her know that he was about to have a conference in his 'office.' Gibbs took Abby by the hand and led her to the elevator. Abby continued to blather about her babies and her mass spectrometer being touched by another person. She was past the point of being reasoned with. Gibbs needed to bring her back down to earth and he didn't need any witnesses while doing so. Once inside the confines of the metal cage, Gibbs pushed the emergency stop button and the room immediately fell into darkness.

After a few moments, the emergency lighting clicked in and the room brightened somewhat but still remained softly lit.

"Gibbs," whined Abby, her eyes still pleading with him to do something about her predicament.

"Listen, Abby, Tony got someone else to take your place temporarily. It's just for the interim until we find out who blew up your car."

Abby's eyes widened. "What? No way! Giiibbs…NO!" she exclaimed.

"Yes, Abby. Someone blew up your car, for Pete's sake. Did ya think I was going to let you continue on like nothing happened?" Gibbs stared at her incredulously.

"But Gibbs-"

"No, Abbs. The decision is final. You are not setting foot back in your lab until this situation is figured out period. No arguments. Besides, I need your help with the girls. Jenny is looking for a safe house for you and the girls until we figure out what's going on. Someone attempted to kill us all. Were they after me, you or those little girls?"

Abby's face reddened at his words. Gibbs could tell that he was about to see one angry Goth girl, but he wasn't prepared for just how angry.

"You listen to me, Gibbs," Her voice was shaky but confident. "I am a forensic scientist for NCIS, and I am a damned good one. I'm not going to let some idiotic psychopath scare me out of doing my job. Like it or not, I am going back to my lab and kicking that guy out on his ear. And you know I can do it!" Her lips formed a firm line as she glared at him with one eye just daring him to try and stop her.

Gibbs reached out to grasp her arm, but she pulled away and pressed the start button on the elevator. As far as she was concerned the conversation was over. Gibbs frowned in frustration. Abby obviously forgot who she was dealing with. As stubborn as she was, she was no match for him. He reached out and pounded the emergency stop button again, waiting for the lights to come back on. He poked a finger out at her nearly touching her nose.

"You are treading on dangerous ground, Abby," he growled at her, using his best parental voice. It wasn't very often he felt the need to use it but this was one of those times. Abby was passionate, and he admired that about her. She had spunk. However, she was completely driven by her emotions, and there was no way in hell he was going allow her to be in danger over a job someone else could do.

"Gibbs," she whined again. He could tell her resolve was wavering. She was wrestling with herself as much as with him.

"Abby, is there something I should know? Who would want to blow up your car?" His glance at her was penetrating. She had kept things from him before and it had nearly cost her her life then. Would she dare to do it again?

She looked at him in disbelief. "What? NO!" she insisted, shaking her head. "NO, Gibbs, I'm not keeping anything from you. I have no idea who could have wanted to hurt me." She looked up at him, tears were brimming her eyes. "How could you ask me that?"

Gibbs gave her a knowing look. The silence was deafening. She knew exactly what he was asking, and he was irritated that she was pretending to be so hurt by his line of questioning. The more he stared at her, the more he realised that she was lying to him. Her face was red, her eyes shimmering in tears yet there was a look on her face that he couldn't quite place. She was hedging.

"You're lying to me, Abigail Scuito," he countered, using her full name to capture her attention. Her chin jerked in response. "What are you hiding from me?"

Abby's eyes jolted away from his and dropped to the floor. She licked her dry lips and fidgeted with her hands.

"I-I've been receiving some phone threats…" she muttered so softly that Gibbs barely heard her.

"What kind of threats, Abby?"

She shrugged and stared at her feet. Gibbs reached out and brought her chin up to face him.

"What. Kind.?" Staccato words that meant business. She knew it, and he felt her shudder under his fingers.

"It's embarrassing, Gibbs," she cried.

Gibbs growled under his breath. He thought she had learned her lesson the last time with Mikel Mawher.

"Abby, so help me," he threatened. It was an idol threat but a threat nonetheless. The kind exasperated parents issue when they're at their wit's end; the kind that said parents hope they never have to make good on.

Abby held up her hands in surrender. "Okay, okay, I'll tell you everything."


	5. Chapter 5

**_Author's Note:_**

 ** _Thanks for the reviews and all the follows._**

 ** _I enjoy your comments and observations into the story. Hopefully everyone will find a little of what they enjoy to red about in this story._**

 ** _To the guest who pointed out Ziva was the youngest...sorry about that...still getting to know the characters. I did some reading...I actually didn't know how old Abby was...she is depicted as being younger...but logically speaking, she has to be older. i guess you could say that Tim is the youngest male on the team, rather than the youngest overall._**

 ** _Haha, I had to laugh at the comment about Gibbs needing a beer...I think he needs a beer and a long vacation somewhere and things are only starting to ante up. :-p_**

 ** _Just some hints of Jibbs in this one._**

 ** _I needed to spend some time on gaining a little healing with Aimee...realistically, she's been through a very traumatic ordeal and if I want to use her character more throughout this story, she needs some closure._**

 ** _I hope you are enjoying the story as much as I am enjoying writing it._**

Jenny sat at her desk staring at the sleeping child in her office. She chewed on her cuticle as she thought about how crazy the last 24 hours had been. Jenny Shepard could brandish a gun with the expertise of an assassin. She could tackle and knock down the bad guys. Hell, she was the first woman director NCIS had ever had but give her a child and she felt useless. Weren't women supposed to have a built-in intuition with children? Didn't they instinctively know how to calm a frightened child? Jenna scoffed to herself. She must have missed the maternal instincts train because there was no way she felt comfortable or confident around children. Not like Gibbs. It was almost surreal how well the man could mix with kids of all ages. She'd seen him hold a baby like an expert and not even look uncomfortable. Give her a baby and just watch her sweat. Gibbs was a god damned natural with the little humans. It was completely uncanny. Did parenthood automatically make you a star with kids?

The child stirred in the oversized office chair where she slept. Tears still shimmered on her little cheeks. Aimee Percy was one hell of a force to be reckoned with. Jenny had stood in the background and watch Gibbs tango with the child. He never seemed to break a sweat even when the kid was physically attacking him. He kept patient and poised. Jenny had seen Gibbs tear disrespectful subordinates to ribbons with a few words, yet he had a remarkable calm presence with children. Of course, she knew Gibbs was putting up with much more than he would from a normal child under normal circumstances. She couldn't imagine any child of Gibbs being as insolent as Aimee. But the child had a good reason. She had witnessed something so horrific. Jenny didn't know how the child would recover from such atrocities. What was Gibbs thinking keeping the kids? She should pull rank on him and get child protective services involved. The kid needed counseling. She needed someone to work with her was trained in these sort of things. Jenny felt her heart pick up pace when the child began to stir and awaken. Crap, thought Jenny, where are you, Jethro?

Jenny rose from her chair and walked over to Aimee, a kind smile on her face.

"Feeling any better?" she asked.

The child blinked a few times, sitting up and stretching. "Where's Gibbs?"

Jenny had to bite back a smirk. Gibbs had made an impression on the kid even though she fought with him. Gibbs made her feel safe. Jenny knew the feeling.

"Gibbs is trying to catch the bad guys," answered Jenny. "Are you hungry?"

Aimee nodded sheepishly. "Yah," she hesitated, squirming where she sat. "I need to pee."

Jenny's eyes widened. "Um, yah, sure, of course."

Jenny buzzed for her secretary to come in and escort the child to the washroom. Jenny used the time to find some food for the kid. When Jenny returned, she entered her office to see Gibbs pacing back and forth looking extremely angry.

"Where's the kid?" he asked, his voice sounding much gruffer than Jenny expected.

"She's in the bathroom, Jethro," replied jenny coolly. She purposely made her voice sound equally as gruff in hopes that Gibbs would realise the anger he was projecting towards her.

"Let me guess, you plan to feed that garbage to the kid?" Gibbs looked at the selection of junk she had selected from the vending machines. Jenny felt colour come to her cheeks. He was right. Pretty much everything in the vending machine was junk food with enough sugar to send the child into a diabetic coma.

"NCIS isn't exactly filled to the brim with home-cooked meals, Jethro, besides from what Abby told me earlier, you fed them chocolate sprinkles for breakfast."

Gibbs groaned. "It wasn't sprinkles," he countered, an almost petulant look crossing his face which made them both laugh.

Gibbs sat down at the large board meeting table in her office and put his head down, rolling it back and forth.

"Jethro?" Jenny felt concerned. She hadn't seen him look so defeated in a long time. "What's bothering you?"

He groaned again.

Jenny crossed the room and put a hand on his shoulder. She could feel the tight knots in his muscles and without thinking began to massage his neck and shoulders gently. She felt him start to relax under her touch. She allowed a smile to cross her lips. She always did know how to relax him.

"Do you remember Mikel Mawher?" he mumbled.

Jenny chewed her lip remembering the name very clearly. Gibbs had nearly cut the man into ribbons after he stalked Abby for months. When Gibbs found out that the lunatic had planned to kill Abby and make it look like a suicide, it had been all she could do to keep him from strangling the guy with his bare hands. When it came to Abby or anyone of his team members, Gibbs was a force to be reckoned with. His team was his family. Family didn't need to share the same DNA in Gibbs's opinion. A family was about people who love and take care of each other. No one who messed with Gibb's family should expect to live to see another sunrise.

"What about him?"

Gibbs lifted his head. "Abby has managed to singlehandedly find another lunatic just like Mawher."

Jenny knit her brows together as she kept massaging. Her fingers dug deeply into Gibbs' shoulders without thinking.

"Making bread there, Jenn?" asked Gibbs looking at her from the corner of his eye. "Ouch."

Jenny's cheeks reddened slightly, and she walked around to lean on the table, crossing her arms in front of her.

Gibbs rose to his feet and began his pacing. "Just finished listening to Abby tell me about her latest "friend" who decided to go psycho on her. Damn it! What is it about that girl that attracts losers?"

Jenny raised her brow with an amused grin. "She sleeps in a coffin and drives a hearse. She wears skulls all over her clothes. Seriously, Jethro, have you taken a good look at your perfect little forensic scientist lately? Abby isn't exactly a normal, run of the mill girl. Who else is she going to attract?"

"She doesn't drive a hearse anymore. Someone blew it to high heaven!"

Jenny sat back in her chair, crossing her legs revealing her toned calf muscles. She secretly hoped catching a glimpse might calm the man down. Or at the very least take his mind off of Abby for a few seconds. She was rewarded with a half smirk as he eyed her with maybe just a small bit of hunger in his eyes. You haven't lost it yet Jenny, she thought to herself.

"So, who's the guy?"

Gibbs smacked his hand on the table. "Jeff Richter is a coroner for the DC PD-"

"Richter? Jethro, he's not a sociopath. He's as harmless as Ducky."

Gibbs turned on his heel. "I'm not finished, Jenn. It's his son that Abby dated. She broke up with him a couple months ago and he's been sending Abby phone threats by text and email. Abby said she's been ignoring it hoping he would grow tired of it and move on, but lately, his threats have been becoming more and more ominous. Apparently, the last one was on the night of the explosion, and he threatened to incinerate her in her car. She let me listen to the message. Damn that girl. I thought I made myself perfectly clear the last time with Mawher. I can't protect her if I don't know she is in danger."

Jenny scratched her head thoughtfully, be careful how she tread on this sanctified ground. Jenny was well aware how Gibbs viewed Abby. She wasn't just a lab rat who worked for NCIS. Abby was Gibb's lab rat—his surrogate daughter—and Jenny needed to tread carefully when she spoke.

"She's a grown woman, Jethro. She doesn't need to tell you anything, you know."

"The hell she doesn't!" he snapped, pounding his fist on the table once again.

Jenny jumped in spite of herself. She had expected the reaction but still couldn't help being taken off guard anyways.

"I know you're upset Jethro, but Abby makes her own decisions. She doesn't need to check in with you-"

"A restraining order, two charges of assault filed against the guy and not one word is mentioned to me! Where the hell does she get off not telling me?"

Jenny's eyes widened. Gibbs was right. This guy was almost a complete repeat of Mawher. Where did Abby pick up guys like that?

"So bring him in and interrogate him."

Gibbs glared at her. "I'm going to kill him." His voice was dangerously low.

"Interrogate first, kill later."

Jenny allowed the levity to ring out in her voice. She was joking but she knew on some level that Gibbs was serious. At least at this moment, he was serious. He would calm down and play nice once he reached interrogation. Gibbs was a lot of things but he wasn't someone to completely lose his head. But the perpetrator didn't know that.

In that moment, a gentle knock was heard at the door. Jenny walked to the door and opened it seeing that Aimee had returned from her long trip to the bathroom.

"Thought you got lost," she said looking at her secretary. The woman smirked and went back to her desk. Aimee tucked her hair behind her ears and walked back into the office. Her face seemed to brighten up a little when she saw Gibbs in the room.

"Did you find the bad guy yet?" asked Aimee, walking up to Gibbs and looking him square in the eye. Brazen little thing, thought Jenny. Jenny wasn't sure she would have been so brave at nine years old. Perhaps that gumption would help the little girl bounce back from the horrible situation.

"Nope," said Gibbs. "You and me still need to chat some more. Are you in a better mood or are you going to smack me in the chops again?"

Aimee smirked a little. "Not going to apologize for that. You wouldn't let me by you and I needed to find my sister," said the child, matter-of-factly.

Jenny covered her mouth to suppress a smile. Leroy Jethro Gibbs had found his female mini-me, and it struck Jenny as hilarious.

"Never say you're sorry?" he asked, a smirk tugging as his lips as well.

Jenny choked and reached for her bottle of water.

"Huh?"

"Never mind." Gibbs reached into his pocket and held out a medal. A navy cross. "Thanks for the loan. Good luck charm?"

Aimee nodded. "It's my dad's." Her voice cracked and tears flooded her eyes again. "I-I mean it was my dad's. He gave it to me when he came back from Afghanistan."

Gibbs sat down on the closest chair so he wasn't towering over her. It was amazing how he just instinctively knew how to speak to a child. Jenny knew that Gibbs was aware of his intimidating presence and by lowering his body, it was far less daunting to a child.

"He must have been quite the hero."

Aimee nodded. "He was." Tears rolled down her cheeks once more.

"Can you describe the bad man?"

"H-He was wearing a mask. My daddy called him Stratton."

"What kind of mask?"

Aimee chewed her lip. "Black one like you wear in the snow."

Gibbs walked over to Jenny's desk and punched a few keys on the keyboard. He turned the monitor to face Aimee, showing her some pictures of ski masks.

"Like that?"

Jenny furrowed her brow. Make yourself at home, Jethro, she thought. Geez, he seemed to know her so well that he even knew her computer password. He glanced at her with a half smirk.

"Not exactly."

Gibbs picked up a pad of paper off Jenny's desk and dropped it in front of Aimee.

"Draw it for me." Gibbs looked at Jenny with a teasing look in his eyes. "Time to let go, Jenn?" he asked.

Jenny felt her face burn. Her password was a reminder of days past.

"Shut up, Jethro," she hissed.

The room fell silent as Aimee set to work drawing a picture. Jenny smiled as she watched the little girl's tongue poke out of her mouth as she drew. Reminded her of herself as a child. Heck, she even did it now when she tried to thread a needle.

Aimee handed the pad back. Jenny came closer as Gibbs looked at the drawing. Aimee had drawn a clear picture of a balaclava with thin netting where the eyes were located.

"Kinda reminded me of Spiderman, only he wasn't a superhero."

"That's a good drawing, Aimee," Jenny commended.

"Can you tell me what colour his eyes were? Was he as tall as your dad?"

Aimee chewed her lip thoughtfully. "His eyes looked black, I think. It was hard to tell cuz the mask was all full of holes like a fly's eyes. He was shorter than my daddy."

Jenny could hear the weariness in the girl's voice. They needed to get her and her sister to the safe house soon. All this stress just wasn't good for a child.

Aimee rubbed her eyes. "He talked funny, though. At first, when my daddy talked to him, he got real mad and he started…well, like he tripped over his words." Aimee scrunched up her nose as she spoke.

"How so?" asked Gibbs.

"Well, I once got in a lot of trouble because I made fun of a kid who talked funny. He sounded just like him. It was like the words got stuck in his mouth, and he couldn't spit them out."

"D-Did i-it s-s-sound like…like t-this?" stammered Gibbs, doing his best to mimic a stutter.

Aimee looked up with a startled glance at him. "Yah, how'd you do that?"

It wasn't much but it was a start.

"Used to stutter when I was a kid because I was tongue-tied."

Jenny snickered. Not much had changed. Gibbs was still tongue-tied.

"Did you get teased?"

"Sometimes," he acknowledged.

"My daddy got real mad at me for teasing the kid."

Gibbs smiled. "Good. You shouldn't tease people for doing things they have no control over."

Aimee nodded. "I know."

Gibbs phone rang loudly, and he answered it gruffly.

"Gibbs."

"Ducky wants to talk to you in Autopsy, Boss," said McGee.

"Tell Duck I 'm on my way."

"Uh, Boss, what happened between you and Abby? She's crying and won't talk to any of us."

Jenny couldn't help but overhear the whole conversation. Gibbs always kept his sound on his phone on the loudest setting so he could hear it no matter what environment he was in.

"Leave her be, McGee. She needs some space for now." With those final words, Gibbs disconnected the call.

"Punishing her isn't going to change anything," said Jenny, glaring at him.

Gibbs returned her glare. "I'm not punishing her."

"Withholding affection from Abby is punishing her and you know it."

"I'm giving her time to think."

"She's a grown woman who doesn't need your permission."

"She didn't tell me!" he hissed.

"Hello, restraining order. Charges lay against him. She handled things like an adult."

"She didn't come to me, Jenn. This is Abby we're talking about here, and she damn well didn't come to me!" His eyes were piercing.

Jenny rolled her eyes. "Fine." The sarcasm dripped from her lips.

Gibbs went to open the door.

"Hang on a moment. Where do you think you're going?"

"Autopsy."

Jenny looked at Gibbs incredulously. He returned her look and then glanced at Aimee. He closed his eyes for a moment and dropped his shoulders. Jenny knew that he was getting her message loud and clear. There was no way she was going to be stuck with a nine-year-old while he wandered all over God knows where solving the case. He made his bed and now he could lie in it.

"C'mon Aimee, let's go find Nessa," said Gibbs, reaching out his hand. "Say goodbye to Ms. Shepard."

Aimee obliged and took Gibbs hand. Jenny smiled at the little girl as they left the room. No one was going to push Aimee around but it was obvious she had taken a shining to Gibbs. Jenny shook her head and sat back at her desk. Gibbs could certainly charm the socks off of any woman. She should know.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Gibbs held tightly to the warm little hand in his. He felt relieved that she wasn't full of spit and vinegar at the moment. He wasn't in the mood to deal with another temper tantrum. He was still reeling from his chat with Abby. He had listened to her story with his face completely blank. He willed himself to stay totally calm and neutral. He didn't get angry. He didn't demand any explanations as to why she didn't come to him for help. He already knew her excuses. He remembered them from last time.

"Because, Gibbs, I wanted him restrained. I didn't want him beaten to a pulp with a baseball bat. And I'm embarrassed. It wasn't a great taste in boyfriends."

Her words still burned deep in his gut. She was reckless. Stupid. She worked for the NCIS for Pete's sake. There was no damned need for her to ever be in any danger from anyone. Not with him around to take care of her.

Aimee's hand squirmed in his.

"You mad at Abby?" she asked, her blue eyes looking at him innocently as they walked. "Cuz you're squeezing my hand really hard."

Gibbs loosened his grip. "I guess I'm a little upset with her."

Aimee nodded like she understood but didn't comment further.

"Where are we going?"

"Autopsy."

"What's that?"

Gibbs took a long breath as he thought about how to explain it. He wasn't worried about taking her down there. He knew that Nessa was with Ducky and there was no way the kind-hearted medical examiner would have anything out that would be worrisome for a child to see. Ducky was like that. He never had children of his own but he seemed to fulfill the role of grandfather to every child he saw. And the added bonus to Ducky was that he got a new pair of listening ears to share his stories with.

"Well, it's a place where we find out how a person might have died." Gibbs wasn't one to lie or mince words to shield someone for the truth of the world. "Ducky is the medical examiner, and he tells me that people talk to him even after they have passed away."

Aimee's eyes grew large. "Did my daddy and mommy talk to him too?"

Gibbs stopped as they reached the elevator to go to autopsy.

"It's not like that kind of talking, Aims. You understand that your parents are…" he hesitated. Life was grim, but he didn't want to build false hope in the child either. "Ducky can look at bodies and find out how the person died. They don't really talk like when they were alive. Understand?"

Aimee's face clouded once more and her eyes dropped to the floor. She nodded quietly. Gibbs silently berated himself for not being clearer.

"Can I see them, Gibbs?"

The doors opened and the two of them walked inside. Gibbs pushed the button and the lift started its descent to the basement of the building.

"I don't think it's a wise idea, Aims…" His words lingered in the air with no direction.

She pulled her hand away from his and tucked her long, unruly hair behind her ears.

"The bad man hurt them a lot. I couldn't stop him from killing them."

Aimee began to tremble all over. Gibbs hit the emergency stop button on the elevator, hoping the action wouldn't scare the child. He stooped down to her level and looked her closely in the eyes.

"It wasn't your fault. You might have let him inside when you weren't supposed to, but you are a little girl. People make mistakes. I'm an adult, and I do things I shouldn't do too. That man was bad and did a very bad thing. But it's not your fault. Understand?"

Tears rolled down Aimee's cheeks as she looked at him. Her bottom lip trembled.

"My daddy would have punished me…" she whispered.

Gibbs felt his heart skip a beat. The poor kid was consumed with guilt.

"Yah, I bet he would have. If you were mine, I'd have probably spanked you. It's dangerous to open a door to strangers." Gibbs paused, instantly regretting his words. Aimee didn't need him piling guilt on her. "But Aimee, hear me out on this, what happened is NOT your fault. The only thing you did wrong was open a door. Everything else that happened after that was not your fault. The bad man could have broken down the door if you didn't open it."

Aimee blinked her eyes and wiped away the tears blurring her vision.

"If my daddy was here instead of you, I would have told him I'm sorry, Mr. Gibbs. I was mad at him so I wanted to make him mad too. I'm sorry…" Aimee dissolved into tears.

Gibbs pulled the little girl into his arms and wrapped her tightly in a bear hug. He felt her melt into him and sob. This is good, thought Gibbs. It was her dealing with things in her own mind. Letting go of her guilt and trying to understand what happened. She had first reacted in anger and now she was reacting in sorrow. The grief process was well on its way. Gibbs felt sure that Aimee would be okay in time. She was a spitfire and that would go a long way in her life.


	6. Chapter 6

As soon as the elevator opened, Gibbs was alerted to a commotion developing in autopsy. He heard alarming high-pitched screaming which caused a shudder to ripple down his back. He cautiously approached the shiny metal doors only to be pleasantly surprised to hear laughter erupting from the room this time. Relief washed over him. A child's uncontrollable laughter and Tony's voice seemed to penetrate into the hallway. Gibbs smiled in spite of himself. It seemed that his second in command had managed to find his way to autopsy. Gibbs looked down at Aimee whose face was still flushed from crying. He smiled at her reassuringly.

"Sounds like Janessa's having fun, huh?"

Aimee nodded and sniffled. She seemed uncharacteristically quiet. Of course, Gibbs couldn't be sure what her personality really was since he'd only known her for a short while and under such horrendous circumstances.

Gibbs and Aimee walked into autopsy to see Janessa riding on Tony's back while he galloped around the examining tables neighing like a horse. Gibbs actually stood wide-eyed at the sight. Tony DiNozzo was a big kid in every sense of the word, but Gibbs never expected the man to be so comfortable around kids. Gibbs was impressed. Janessa was smacking him on the back of the head and yelling "Giddy-up horsey" and bursting out in laughter and screeches of delight.

Tony froze when he saw Gibbs. His mouth dropped open in stunned dismay, rivaling the look of a child with his hand caught in the cookie jar.

"Uh, hi, Boss," Tony stammered, his face turning a shade of red Gibbs hadn't seen in quite a while. "I…uh…I was helping Ducky-"

Almost as if the man had heard his name. Ducky entered the room on cue, holding a file folder of paperwork in one hand and two helium balloons in the other.

"Oh, hello there, Jethro. Glad you received my message from Timothy."

Gibbs' brow lifted in amusement when he saw Ducky's choice of attire that day. His M.E. was known to be eccentric but Ducky's choice of clothing took the cake. He was dressed in a bright green shirt matched with a sunny yellow, almost neon, bow tie. Ducky offered one to Aimee who took it with a grin breaking out across her face. Gibbs thought Ducky reminded him of a circus clown.

"All you're missing is the face paint, Duck, and the big red shoes," commented Gibbs with a wiry smirk.

"Ah, yes, Jethro. Balloons do tend to bring out the child in all of us, don't they?" Ducky looked at Aimee and patted her on the head. "Do you like the colour pink, my dear girl?"

Aimee nodded. "Yes, thank-you." A big grin settled on her face as she stared at the balloon.

"Very good." Ducky smiled as he looked at Gibbs. "Now then, Jethro, young Anthony here was helping me by amusing little Miss Janessa while I finished up some paperwork for you."

"Practicing for races, DiNozzo? I'd bet on ya for the win."

Tony chuckled, visually relaxing at the levity. "Thanks, Boss."

Ducky walked across the room and handed the other balloon to Janessa who was still on Tony's back. Tony allowed her to slip to the floor so she could better hold the balloon.

"Perhaps you could take these two lovely young ladies to get a snack from the cafeteria. I've heard that Mrs. Brackett has outdone herself today by baking the most decadent brownies," suggested Ducky.

Gibbs smirked. Ducky worked in the basement in the furthest spot away from the cafeteria yet the man still seemed to know everything that went on there as well as every other place else in NCIS. The rumor mill ran rampant and roots seemed to be in autopsy. Gibbs reached into his pocket and pulled out some money, tossing it towards Tony.

"Get them the biggest piece, DiNozzo."

Gibbs figured any type of nutritious food was pretty much out the window. Chocolate sprinkles on bread for breakfast, vending machine junk food for lunch and now brownies for a snack. They were certainly battling a thousand for good food choices. They'd have to make a more concerted effort for supper. Gibbs saw Aimee make a move to take his hand again. She looked uncertain if she wanted to go anywhere with Tony. Gibbs received her hand and squeezed it in gentle reassurance. He glanced down at her to see if she would leave or cling to him. He didn't plan to coerce her if she refused. Building a trust bond was something he really wanted to encourage

"I'll come find ya once I'm done talking with Ducky," he reassured.

Aimee chewed his lip and reluctantly nodded her head.

Janessa grabbed Tony with one hand and Aimee with another, attempting to drag them from the room. Aimee balked at the action, pulling away.

"C'mon, Aimee. Tony might let you go for a ride too. He's a very fast horse."

Janessa continued to ramble on loudly as Tony scooped her up under one arm. She squealed in delight as he motioned towards the door, coaxing Aimee to go before him.

"After you, M'Lady," he said with a friendly smile, bowing before her like a gallant knight. Janessa was hanging there giggling while he did.

With one last tenuous look and a shrug of her shoulders, Aimee left the room followed by Tony.

Gibbs turned his attention to Ducky who looked gravely at him.

"What have you got, Duck?"

Ducky walked towards the drawers on the other side of the room, proceeding to pull two of them open. Gibbs looked to see the remains of two people that Ducky and Palmer had managed to rather crudely piece back together.

"The lower drawer contains the remains of the child. Poor little tyke. I don't think it's necessary to disturb it much more, Jethro."

Gibbs remained silent. He was thankful for Ducky's thoughtfulness. Gibbs wasn't sure if he could stomach seeing the two years pieced back together like a human jigsaw puzzle. It was enough to know the cause of death. It was all the information he needed.

"It seems that the child was dismembered while she was alive. Several blows to the back of the head knocked her unconscious. I suspect the child was used as leverage to obtain some kind of information from her dear mother that the women either did not know or refused to divulge. The killer then proceeded to dismember the child limb by limb until the poor thing bled to death. Horrific, excruciating way to die." Ducky made a repulsed face to exemplify his abhorrence. "Must have been a nightmare for her mother to witness. Time of death precedes the mother's."

Gibbs grimaced as he looked at the remains of the female victim. He felt his stomach churn as he allowed himself to digest the facts. He didn't even want to imagine how the woman felt watching her toddler being torn to apart before her eyes with no way to stop it. It was almost merciful that the woman did not survive the altercation. He wasn't sure how anyone could recover from that.

"The male was shot several times in the abdomen-" Ducky pointed out the bullet holes with the back of the pen he'd pulled out of his shirt breast pocket.

"That corroborates what Aimee said-"

"But that wasn't what killed our young petty officer. It seems that the man suffered a ruptured cerebral aneurysm at around the same time of the attack. I'm afraid without immediate hospital intercession, the young man was destined to depart the world that day anyways."

Gibbs chewed his lip as he looked at the areas of the man's head that Ducky pointed at. As many times as he came down to autopsy, Ducky always managed to give him more information than he ever needed, wanted or understood. Gibbs figured that by the time he retired from NCIS, he might have earned a diploma in medical science. Or at the very least should earn a medal for pretending to understand what the hell Ducky was talking about.

"So he was dismembered after death?"

"Most definitely, Jethro. Why? I can only hazard a guess. Perhaps as a way to threaten his dear wife and show her how the killer planned to dissect her child. The poor woman must have been more than just a little emotionally distraught to find her husband dead when she arrived home. I'm fairly certain she wouldn't have been in her right mind enough to be able to answer many of the killer's questions. I speculate the young child would have been hysterically crying which might have been the reason why the killer initially applied blows to her head. At this point, the mother would have been frantic. I believe the killer would have used any means at his disposal to elicit the responses he required. The child would have been an innocent pawn and an easy target."

Gibbs remained quiet as Ducky continued to speak. Conjecture was all they really had to go on at this point in the case. Ducky pointed at the reconstructed pieces of the female victim next.

"Petty Officer Rebecca Percy was killed last, several hours after her husband and child. Jethro, it is a miracle those two girls survived. I dare not think what would have become of them had the killer found them."

"Same, Duck, same," replied Gibbs, melancholy at the thought.

"We are not only dealing with an extremely powerful killer but a methodical one. The officer's neck was broken in a very violent and disturbing way, but we've seen it before on more than one occasion, I'm afraid-"

"Let me guess, the one hand on the jaw, one hand on the back of the head and sixty-six pounds of torque method?"

Ducky nodded solemnly. "Precisely."

"We're looking for someone who knows how to kill."

"It certainly looks that way, Jethro."

Gibbs frowned and dropped his hands to his side. It wasn't much to go on, but it was a start. He'd had less to go on in other investigations, and he wasn't going to let what little he did know stop him from finding closure for the girls.

"Thanks, Duck," said Gibbs as he exited the duck pond on his way back to the bullpen.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Tony lifted Janessa up onto his shoulders in the elevator as he glanced down at Aimee. Janessa's giggly, fun-loving presence was in stark contrast to Aimee's silence. She was hauntingly quiet and stared at the floor.

"Push G4, Aimee," he encouraged, pointing towards the buttons. What kid didn't like to push the button in the elevator? It had been one of his favourite past times as a kid. In fact, he usually pushed every button before exiting. He lived in the penthouse at the top of a very large building as a kid, so it was certainly a prank he played often, if not every day. Of course, it was because he loved pranks, and he knew that the next person would be destined to have to stop at every single floor before reaching their final destination. Something about it just struck him as hilarious as a kid. If truth be known, he may have been guilty of doing it a time or two when he knew Gibbs was going to use the elevator. Tony simply couldn't help himself.

"Lemme, Lemme!" insisted Janessa who was bouncing up and down on his shoulders.

Tony grabbed her feet quickly before she fell backward.

"Whoa there, Mighty Mouse. Sit still or you might take a tumble to the floor."

"I wanna push the button!" said Janessa, wriggling further trying to stretch herself to reach the buttons. Tony held her firmly so she wouldn't fall.

"I think Aimee should have the honour this time, you little Loch Ness Monster," he said with a smirk.

Aimee's eyes widened as she stared at him with a look he couldn't quite decipher.

"You got that right, Mister. She sure is a monster."

"I am not!" whined Janessa and then she scrunched up her nose in confusion. "What's a Locked Monster?"

Tony chuckled. "Loch Ness Monster," he corrected. "It's a sea creature that supposedly lives in Scotland."

Janessa's mouth formed a silent "Oh," while her brow furrowed in obvious bewilderment, but it quieted her for a few moments which was a good thing in Tony's opinion.

"I'll show you a picture when we get back to the Bullpen."

Janessa nodded but remained quiet, apparently still trying to figure out what a Loch Ness Monster was. Tony leaned against the elevator cage and waited. Finally, Aimee decided then that she would press the button Tony had indicated earlier. Tony smiled warmly at her.

"Bullpen? Are we going to a farm now?" Aimee asked softly.

Tony laughed again. He could only imagine how confused the kids were by all the nicknames that they used for certain parts of NCIS. He thought for a moment as the elevator traveled to its intended destination. Trying to explain the slang term to a child would not be easy. Tony picked another route.

"Well, that's a good question. You're a thinker, I like that. See, we call the area we came from the duck pond-"

"That's cuz Ducky lives there," piped up Janessa.

"Exactly, only he doesn't really live there, Nessie. He works there."

Aimee grinned. "So if Ducky is the duck, does that make Gibbs the bull in the bullpen?"

Tony burst out in laughter. Gibbs most definitely could be compared to a bull. Bull-headed. Stubborn. Obstinate. Hearing Aimee ask the question just made his day. If only he could have made an audio copy of it so he could let Ziva and McGee hear it. It was just a perfect moment frozen in time.

The three of them continued chatting and joking about Gibbs the bull while the elevator reached its journey's end. The familiar ding of the lift let Tony know that they had reached the bullpen. He swung Janessa down to her feet as the doors opened revealing the busy squad room area. Both girls' eyes were wide in wonderment as they entered the area. The main floor of the squad room was a formidable place to be, especially if you were a young child. So many adults talking, scurrying around and working all at once. Tony could just see the bewilderment on the girls' faces.

"C'mon, Pipsqueaks, I will show you where my desk is. I think I might have some cool stuff in my desk to show you."

Tony corralled the girls into his area of the Bullpen. Tony furrowed a brow when he saw Abby sitting at Gibbs's desk with her knees curled up and her head hidden in them. He could hear tiny little hiccups coming from her which caused him to turn to McGee questioningly.

"What's the matter with Abby, McGee?"

Tim looked up from his desk and smiled at the little girls who Tony had brought with him into the squad room.

"Hi there, Aimee and Janessa."

Janessa went walking up to McGee and made herself at home on his knee, pounding on his keyboard. Tony watched McGee quickly clear his screen and pop up Word so the child could see what she was typing. Aimee leaned against Tony's desk and stared at Abby.

"Gibbs and Abby had a disagreement, but she refuses to talk to me. She's been sitting there in Gibb's chair for the past half hour."

Tony slowly raked a hand through his hair in deep thought. The relationship between Gibbs and Abby was a multifaceted one. While she was first and foremost an amazing Forensics scientist, she was also Gibb's surrogate daughter. Abby's parents were both deceased, and she didn't have much family left in her life. Gibbs had just seemed to naturally step into some kind of father figure role for Abby. No one on the team questioned it. The fact that Abby was reduced to tears over a disagreement with Gibbs was proof how much she cared what Gibbs thought. Abby genuinely loved Gibbs and needed his approval and affection.

Tony felt much like an older brother to Abby. To Tim and Ziva as well, but on a smaller scale. And Ziva, well, things between them were complicated, to say the least. But with Abby, the lines were clear. He couldn't help but feel protective of the woman who seemed to make stupid decisions about the guys she dated. Abby was one of the sweetest women he knew. She was intelligent, self-confident, kind-hearted and loving. But for some reason, she was a magnet for the sketchy, reprobates of the male population. Tony felt sure it was because of her insistence on dressing in the Gothic style. People automatically made judgments and assumptions about her based on her apparel, her choice of music and her tattoos. It wasn't right, but it was the way the world worked. Abby grew up in the South. Things were different there. But here in DC, people made assumptions. While Abby was a highly specialized and intelligent scientist, most people judged her by the way she looked and dressed which meant Abby's choice of dates wasn't from the pick of the crop.

"Hey, McNanny, take the girls to the café and get them something to eat. Gibb's treat." Tony pulled out the money that Gibbs gave him and handed it to Tim. "Where's Ziva?" asked Tony.

Tim shuffled Janessa from his knee to the floor as he stood up, taking the money from Tony. Janessa kept punching keys on his keyboard, obviously enjoying herself.

"She went to check out a few leads-"

"By herself?" said Tony, incredulously. Ziva knew better than to take off on her own. Gibb's team never went out in the field by themselves. Rule number 15.

McGee nodded. "I'm batting a thousand today," replied Tim, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "No one seems to listen to me today, especially Ziva and Abby."

Tony sighed, ignoring Tim's response. McGee was hard on himself at the best of times. There was no use trying to perk him up when he was too busy flogging himself. It would be a lesson in futility. Things seemed to be out of control, and he didn't like it one bit. Gibbs was distracted. Abby and Gibbs were arguing. Ziva was running off on leads on her own, knowing that Gibbs would have a conniption fit when he found out. Shit was going to hit the fan.

Tony stuck his hands in his pockets, chewing on his lip as he looked at Abby.

"Gibbs is not going to be happy," he mumbled to himself.

Tony watched as McGee clasped his hand around Janessa's and began walking towards Aimee. Tony noticed that Aimee backed away from him. He had a feeling at that the girl was not going to allow herself to be taken out of the room. Too many changes and too many people. Aimee seemed to have reached her limit of being shuffled around.

"Ziva can take care of herself, McWorryWart."

Tim nodded in reply. "I know." Tim still looked unconvinced.

Tony leaned in closer to Tim as he nodded his head towards Abby. "I'll try to talk to Abbs."

As Tim turned to leave, Tony noticed Aimee walking towards Abby. Tony stopped Tim from moving towards her.

"Leave her with me. I think she's had enough of being passed off to people."

Tim nodded and left the bullpen with Janessa merrily chattering his ear off.

Aimee turned to face Tony after McGee left.

"Gibbs is mad at Abby, huh?"

"I dunno, squirt. I didn't hear what happened."

Aimee chewed on her lip and continued staring at Abby. Abby still hid her head in her knees and hadn't moved from her perch on Gibb's chair. Tony could still hear her hiccupping and choking back the odd sob. His heart ached to see her so upset. It wasn't very often that he saw her like this; in fact, he couldn't even remember the last time.

Tony scrubbed a hand over his face, trying to think of how he was going to proceed. If he was going to have a frank talk with Abby, he needed Aimee to be out of earshot. He had a sinking feeling that what Abby was going to tell him wouldn't be fit for a child to hear. Gibbs wasn't one to blow things out of proportion. If he was angry with Abby, he would have one hell of a good reason. Tony had a feeling it had everything to do with why her vehicle was blown up right in the parking lot at the Navy yard.

"Hey, Detective, I could use your help. Are you any good at watching cartoons?"

Aimee scrunched up her nose in confusion. "Yah, what kid isn't?"

Tony laughed as he walked over to his desk and sat in his chair. He flicked on his computer and brought up Netflix. He searched through some of the movies looking for one he could use. A small smile formed on his lips as one caught his attention that would work perfectly.

"C'mere," he said, rising to his feet and pulling out some headphones from his desk. "I need you to do some important research for me."

Aimee walked towards him with a look of uncertainty on her face.

"This show is called Mr. Peabody and Sherman. Gibbs asked me to watch it last week and tell him everything I could about the story of the Trojan horse. It's for a cold case we are working on." Tony didn't feel like a little well-placed lie would hurt the matter. He needed a little diversion for the kid.

"What's a cold case?" said Aimee, accepting the headphones and sitting in Tony's chair.

"A case we haven't solved yet," answered Tony, opening the video player and starting the movie. "So what do you thing? Can you do this for me?"

Aimee looked skeptical. "I guess." Tony had a suspicion that she wasn't buying his little charade.

"All you have to do is figure out the story behind this so-called Trojan horse. Oh, and don't tell Gibbs that I'm getting you to do my work, okay?"

Aimee nodded, looking serious. "Will you get in trouble?"

Tony made his face looked grave. "I dunno, but he might pay you instead of me." He smiled his trademark smile and poked her on the nose when he saw her smile in return.

"You're funning with me, aren't you?"

"Who me? This is serious stuff," insisted Tony, looking at her shrewd face with a playful smirk. "Plus, I need some time to talk with Abby privately, is that okay?"

Aimee nodded, a solemn look coming back to her face once again. She put the headphones on and leaned her elbows on Tony's desk, watching intently at the screen.

 _ **Author's note:**_

 ** _Next up...Big Brother Tony to the rescue...or at least some comforting words for Abby_**

 ** _This story is playing out more and more like an NCIS episode in my head. LOL WOW, it takes some time to figure out how characters might respond to one another. Be patient with me as I figure this out. New fandom for me. Thanks for reading along and joining me on this journey...feel free to make suggestions in your reviews...never know what I might be inclined to include. It wouldn't be a first time that you reviewers have given me ideas along the way of my plot line._**

 ** _Good news, baby has finally settled into position. YIKES, getting nervous and anxious for this kid's appearance. I sent him/her an eviction notice. Hope it didnt get lost in the mail. :-)_**


	7. Chapter 7

Tony rubbed his hands on his dress pants nervously as he approached Abby. She seemed completely oblivious to everything going on around her, stuck inside her own miserable world where Leroy Jethro Gibbs was angry with her. Tony grabbed the Kleenex box from Ziva's desk as he walked towards Abby, placing his warm hand on the back of her head. Abby didn't acknowledge his touch but continued crying.

"Abby," he said quietly, trying to get her to look at him.

The Goth girl tightened her grip around her legs and shook her head.

"Not now," she mumbled through a miserable hiccup.

"C'mon Abbs, talk to me," encouraged Tony, rubbing the top of her head with his hand and leaning against Gibb's desk.

Abby sniffled and slowly lifted her head. Tony licked his lips feeling more than a little out of his league. Gibbs was the one who handled the tears and awkward emotions. He always seemed more capable of handling it. Tony felt like a fish out of water when it came to women and tears. Abby's face was flushed; her eyes were red and puffy with tears still rolling down her cheeks. As soon as his eyes made contact with hers, Abby launched herself into his arms with loud sobs echoing in his ear.

Tony rubbed her back and did what he could to comfort her. Abby was someone with big emotions. People always knew how she was feeling because she didn't attempt to mask it like most people. It was a rare time when you weren't aware of how she was feeling.

"Talk to me, Abby. What's going on?"

Abby's breathing increased as she leaned against Tony's shoulder, sobbing. Tony could tell that she was struggling hard to calm down. Abby Sciuto truly cared about what Gibbs thought. Whatever had happened between Gibbs and her was bad if it had reduced Abby to such an emotional puddle at the man's desk. Part of Tony felt a surge of anger towards Gibbs. What gave Gibbs the right to be so cruel towards Abby? Tony closed his eyes as he took a deep breath, silently rebuking himself for his own stupidity. Abby was Gibb's girl. She wasn't simply an NCIS employee that worked for Gibbs. She was his family. That alone gave him the right.

Abby sniffled and pulled away, sitting back down in Gibb's chair. This time she took the tissue Tony offered her with a small, grateful smile.

"Thanks," she said, blowing her nose loudly.

"Ready to tell me what's wrong?"

Abby sighed. "I blew it, Tony. Gibbs is never going to speak to me again."

Tony rolled his eyes. "Abby, this is Gibbs we're talking about. Trust me; he's going to talk to you. And then you'll wish he hadn't." Tony had had firsthand experience with wishing Gibbs would silent at times. Gibbs was a man of few words but the ones he did say could be piercing and slice you to the bone.

More tears filled her eyes and streamed down her cheeks.

"Let me guess; does this involve a broken rule? Rule 28, perhaps?"

"Maybe," squeaked Abby, wiping at her eyes, trying to keep up with continual leaking.

Tony crossed his arms, trying to emulate Gibb's stance in order to get her to spill her guts.

"Stop it, Tony. It's bad enough when Gibbs does it."

Tony relented, dropping his arms. It was hard for him to be angry with Abby. She was the happiest Goth he'd ever met. Technically, she was the only Goth he'd ever met, but that was beside the point. Abby was perpetually happy. She brought sunshine and happiness wherever she went. It saddened him to see her so upset. He reached out and put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"C'mon Abbs, tell big brother what happened."

Abby blew air out through her lips, protruding her bottom lip in such a way that her thick, black bangs fluttered in the breeze.

"A couple of months ago, I met this guy named Rick Richter at a bar. We danced and shared a nice evening together. He told me his father was the coroner for the DCPD, so conversation came easy for us. Lots to talk about, you know?" Tony nodded his understanding. "He was a lot of fun in the beginning and really nice to me," said Abby, sniffling and beginning to calm herself down. Tony used his hands to pull himself up on Gibbs desk, sitting more comfortably.

"And," he prompted.

"And," Abby dragged out the word as she hesitated. "I didn't want to marry him or anything, you know, and after like 5 dates or so, he acted like he owned me. I wasn't out for an exclusive relationship, but apparently, he was. Things started to get really hinky, so I broke it off with him."

Tony picked Gibbs stapler up off his desk and began opening and closing it thoughtfully.

"Let me guess, he didn't take kindly to you dumping him?"

Abby sighed again. "No. He wouldn't take no for an answer. He'd show up at my apartment unannounced. He showed up at bowling with the sisters. He was stalking me, Tony."

Tony chewed his bottom lip as he continued fiddling with the stapler.

"Any reason why you didn't tell us? Abbs." Tony knew he was mimicking Gibbs, but he couldn't help it where Abby was concerned.

Abby rolled her eyes and stood up, anger flashing in her eyes.

"Tony, you know why!"

"Yah, yah, the whole baseball bat excuse. Abigail Sciuto, that's a stupid reason and you know it," he scolded. He saw heat creep into her cheeks as he stared her down.

Abby's defenses spiraled downwards, reducing her to tears once again. Tony felt somewhat guilty for his sarcasm when he saw her response. Abby was obviously broken enough already or she wouldn't have crumbled so quickly. Damn, Gibbs must have torn a nasty strip from her for her to be so remorseful at present.

"I know," she whispered. "I know it now. It was dumb."

"Go on," he encouraged, closing the stapler hard, nearly stapling his finger in the process.

"I handled things properly, Tony. I even filed charges against him when he got all touchy-feely against my will."

Tony's eyes widened at her words. What exactly did Abby mean by touchy-feely?

Abby rushed on in her explanation. "I can take care of myself, Tony. If I had told Gibbs, he would have overreacted and made things worse. I thought I could handle it. Rick's a controlling jerk, but he's not a murderer."

Tony stood to his feet, slamming the stapler to Gibbs desk. He glanced over at Aimee to see if she had heard anything but, to his relief, she seemed engrossed in the movie. Tony's jaw clenched unconsciously; he couldn't help feeling some anger rise up within him. He'd heard this song and dance before with another one of Abby's stalkers. Abby couldn't help but see the best in people. It clouded her judgment when it came to seeing people's faults and true intentions. Even when she was threatened, she still opted to see the good in people. It wasn't necessarily a bad trait to have but in Abby's case, it made her an easy target. It was a big part of the reason why Gibbs felt such a huge burden to protect Abby. Tony had to admit, he often felt the same way. Abby's natural innocence and seeming blindness to people's faults made her even more vulnerable to dangers. Despite working as a forensic scientist and seeing death every day in one way or another, Abby remained unphased. She still chose to see the good in people.

"I've got two words for you, Abbs. Mikel Mawher."

Abby looked up at him, chewing on the inside of her lip as tears silently followed the tracks on her cheeks. She stared intently as if looking right through him. Tony knew that his words were penetrating her defenses all the more. He could tell by looking at her that she hadn't forgotten, but at the very least had attempted to forget.

"He wasn't anything like Mikel," began Abby, her voice rising in self-defence.

"What did Gibbs say when you told him that?"

"Nothing!" Abby screeched.

Tony raised a brow in concern. This was more serious than he thought. Gibbs must have been beyond pissed at Abby in order for him not to say anything to her.

"Nothing," he echoed.

Abby nodded. "He just stared at me while I was talking. I hardly remember what I said now because when he stares at me like that, I get all nervous and I feel like I'm back in Sister Marguerite's math class and I can't remember what 12 times 7 is. I always had a hard time memorizing my twelve times tables and it didn't help when she glared at me-"

"Try to stay focused here, Abbs," said Tony, smirking at her rambling. Abby was good at rambling under the best of circumstances. "Gibbs not talking isn't an unusual event. The man is a virtual mystery most of the time. Don't put too much stock into his silence. In fact, count yourself lucky that he did bit his tongue and keep his comments to himself. I'm fairly certain you wouldn't have liked to hear his thoughts in that moment anyways, would you?"

Abby shook her head.

"So, do you think this Rick guy would have blown up your hearse? I mean, did he have the motive to do that?"

"NO, not at all, "insisted Abby, looked adamant.

"Think carefully here, Abbs. You were almost blown sky high getting into your car. A few seconds more and we'd have been scraping you up off the pavement for forensic analysis." Tony made his look as intimidating and penetrating as he knew Gibb's looks could be. He'd been on the receiving end of more than he cared to admit and he'd figured he'd learned a thing or two about how to use the look effectively.

Tears flooded down Abby's cheeks once again. "Rick was all threats, Tony. He was smoke and mirrors. He wouldn't have hurt me…"

Tony was not convinced. "Then why did you issue restraining orders against him and file charges of assault.

Fire burned in Abby's eyes. "Stop checking into my personal life, Tony!"

Tony gritted his teeth, trying to keep his temper in check. He hadn't pried into her personal life at all. He hadn't needed to this time. She was standing in front of him like a friggin open book, spilling her guts.

Tony turned her to face him. "Abby, stop hedging and be straight with me, alright?" He shook her gently as he held her arms. She felt like a limp rag doll in his hands. He could tell that she was emotionally spent. Gibbs needed to work his magic soon or Abby was going to dissolve into a puddle that no one was going to be able to contain.

The fire dissipated immediately as she dissolved into tears once again.

"I don't know, alright? My gut says he wouldn't have hurt me, but maybe I'm wrong."

"Abbs, did he have a motive? That's all I'm asking."

Abby shrugged her shoulders in defeat.

"Abby!" Tony's voice was stern.

"Yes, okay? Yes." She shouted at him.

"What motive?"

"I went and talked to his father at DCPD. I told him that his son was stalking me and asked him if he would get him to back off. I said if he didn't stop him, I'd tell Gibbs. Tony, I tried everything to make him stop hassling me. I even filed charges of assault against him, but he wouldn't stop calling me and showing up at inopportune times. I didn't feel safe and I never knew when he'd just show up unannounced."

"What did daddy dearest do?"

"Threatened to cut him off without a dime. Rick was mad and the threats got worse. I had to change my home number and everything."

Tony raked his hand through his hair with a bitter sigh. "You should have asked for help, Abbs. No wonder Gibbs is so pissed at you."

Abby stood stock still, chewing on her bottom lip, looking adequately chastised by his words. Tony could tell that she knew she had royally screwed up this time. No excuse was going to get her out of it. She had put herself in danger and didn't ask for help. Sure, she hadn't intentionally put herself there, but she had allowed it to go unchecked for too long. Gibbs wasn't going to let that slide easily. Abby was in for one heck of a Gibbs lecture at some point. That is after Gibbs peeled himself off the ceiling long enough to touch back down to earth. No one threatened Abby's life without consequence, not even Abby herself.

Tony heaved a weary sigh and pulled the pathetic looking Goth into his arms, stroking her hair in comfort.

"It'll be okay, Abby. Just promise me that from here on in, you'll listen to Gibbs. Don't make things any harder on yourself. Just do what he says and don't argue. You owe him that much.

Abby nodded and sniffled loudly but remained quiet.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Gibbs scanned his eye and walked into MTAC, trying to force himself not to sneak a glance down towards his desk. He' already caught more than a glimpse on his way up the stairs. He heard Abby and Tony talking to one another and his gut was screaming at him to stalk in and read them both the riot act. However, he refrained from doing so because a part him knew that he needed time to calm down and Abby would do well to get some support from Tony. Tony was great with Abby when he stepped up to the plate. Abby and Tony were like two siblings who leaned on one another in the good and bad times. It warmed his heart to see them interact with one another. If anyone could calm Abby down and reason with her, it was Tony. He had an uncanny ability to break through her defenses and make her see reason. It was helpful beyond belief and it made Gibbs job one hell of a lot easier later on.

Gibbs walked in to see Jenny staring at the screen with her long, auburn hair falling softly down her back in ringlets. Her shoulders were set in a firm, strained way, and she was standing erect and still.

"Jenn?"

She turned to face him with a troubled expression on her face.

"Two more attacks in Quantico this afternoon, Jethro. The same M.O., no survivors. MS-13 is on the move all across Europe and United States. I've been in contact with the RCMP in Canada and they've had similar attacks just this week."

"Aimee gave us a name. Stratton."

Jenny nodded. "Ziva is working on some leads. I have sent a bunch of teams out and some abroad to bring back more Intel."

"My Ziva?"

"Jethro," said Jenny in an impatient tone. "We only have one Ziva and you know that. Don't play games with me."

Gibbs glared at her. "Who's playing games? No one orders my team anywhere without consulting me. Who's she with?"

Jenny sighed, not dropping her gaze. "She went out on her own."

Gibbs felt his temper flare. He never permitted any of his team to go out into the field alone. It was one of his rules. They worked together as a team. No one worked alone. Ever.

"What the hell right do you have to order MY team out into the field without my knowledge?"

"Hello, Jethro, the nameplate on my desk reads Director. Remember?" She gave him an especially pointed look that he returned tenfold. Gibbs wasn't about to lose a glaring contest anytime soon. Gibbs didn't care if Jenny was SECNAV or the President of the United States. No one was the boss of his team except him. Jenny continued staring for a few minutes before she dropped her gaze.

"Stop glaring at me, Jethro. You were busy elsewhere and Tony and Tim had their hands full with the girls. We need to get those girls out of here. They are a distraction to everyone; no one can do their job well distracted, including you which brings me to my next point. We need Abby. Stop torturing her and let her get back to work. The guy Tony got to replace her doesn't even scratch the surface at her capabilities. We need her, Jethro. Right now. Today."

"No. She's not setting foot back in her lab until I know who tried to kill her."

"It could have been a fluke…"

"It wasn't. Now if you give me the information I need, I can get back to work and get the son of a bitch who blew up her car. And I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't tell _my_ team to break _my_ rules!" His voice was firm and resolute.

"We need Abby."

"You'll get her when I get the guy who tried to kill her and not before."

Jenny put her hands on her hips in frustration.

"Jethro, be reasonable. People are dying and you want to keep the best forensics scientist we have out of her lab because of her poor choices in boyfriends?"

Gibbs took a few steps closer to Jenny until he breached her personal bubble. Jenny didn't move but continued to glare right back.

"My team, my call. When I get the creep and I'm satisfied she's safe, you can have her. Not until. Her job right now is to stay with the girls in the safe house. Abby is not the only forensics scientist at NCIS. Abby belongs to me."

Gibbs could feel her gentle breath on his face. It smelled like a mixture of spearmint and coffee.

"I can overrule you."

"Yah, you can, but you won't."

"Why won't I?"

"Because you know I'm right."

A smile played on Jenny's lips. "You're a bastard, Jethro." Her voice sounded weary.

"Tell me something I don't know."

His eyes remained transfixed on her. He was waiting for a sign that she was going to back down and give in. He didn't plan to move or change his position until she did. He knew he was far more stubborn than she ever would be. Finally, Jenny looked away from him and took a few steps towards the large monitor on the wall in front of them. She nodded towards the agent in the room who had turned to her for direction.

"Bring them up, Agent Schrader."

Several pictures of men were flashed up on the screen.

"The man in the middle is Jose Garcia. He's a high-ranking member of the group. No one knows exactly who is the leader is, but if there was any, this guy would be it. He's the only one left alive out of the original three who allegedly started the gang in the early 80's. The other two pictured are dead. The guy on the left is Ernest Hernandez murdered in his own home. The other guy is Juan Sanchez murdered in prison. The gang was started by Salvadoran immigrants in the city of San Marcos. They came after the central America civil wars in the 1980s."

Gibbs walked closer to the screen and stared at the men intently, trying to glean as much information as he could from their photographs. Something that stood out to him was the large, graphic tattoo that was displayed across each chest. In all his born days, he had never seen it before. Very plainly and boldly printed was the name Mara Salvatrucha. If this gang was as prevalent as it seemed to be, why handed he heard of it up until now?

"Mara Salvatrucha? Any idea what it means?" asked Gibbs, referring to the full name of the street gang. Gang, scoffed Gibbs to himself, MS-13 was no simple run of the mill street gang.

Jenny walked across the room towards the table and grabbed some paperwork, flipping through several pages before answering.

"Not exactly. It's Spanish for a lot of things. La Mara is a street gang in El Salvador while Salvatrucha was a revolutionary group that fought in the Salvadorian Civil war."

Gibbs grimaced and rubbed the back of his neck with a perplexed look on his face.

"So how the hell do two petty officers get mixed up with a group like this?"

Jenny shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine. That's gonna have to be a job for YOUR team to figure out. But the M.O. is the same. Victims hacked into pieces in the exact same way." Jenny continued reading from the folder. "In 2004, Garcia was deported four times. As a result of these deportations, members of the MS-13 have recruited more members in their home countries. As of 2009, the ICO was estimated to have 30,000 to 50,000 members worldwide, 10,000 are suspected to reside in the United States."

Gibbs reached for the file Jenny held in her hands. Jenny looked up just as Gibbs went to yank it from her hands and held it just beyond his reach.

"They're stealthy, Jethro, steeped in tradition and family pride, from the looks of things.

"Ever Cartel I've ever seen is the same, Jenn. Still, doesn't answer my question."

Jenny handed the file to Gibbs and put her hands on her hips, turning to stare at the map the agent posted next.

"The gang has expanded just recently into Washington, DC with this area becoming an epicenter."

Figures, thought Gibbs. It seemed that everything evil and sinister eventually found its way to DC. Nothing seemed to surprise him anymore with regards to that.

Jenny used a laser to point out all the red highlighted areas indicating the stronger presence. She turned to look at Gibbs. "Jethro, you're not going to like this part."

Gibb's head jerked up. "I'm not gonna like what?"

"In 2004, the FBI started the MS-13 National Gang Task Force. The FBI also began teaming with law enforcement in El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, and Mexico."

Gibbs' eyes flashed. "You're telling me that Fornell knows about this?"

Gibbs wasn't upset for the reasons she thought. She thought it was because Gibbs hated working with the FBI and Fornell. While it was true he hated working alongside the FBI, the latter was wrong. He enjoyed working with Fornell very much. The two of them had an understanding and a lot of commonalities. Others thinking they hated each other only served to make the relationship that much more enjoyable. No, Gibbs wasn't upset because of Fornell. He was upset because men, women, and children were being brutally murdered at the hands of a group of men who basically used kids out of high school to do their dirty work. It made Gibbs feel sick.

"This is the first time any of our people have been targeted, Jethro. We haven't needed to know anything about this gang up until now."

Gibbs took the file and walked towards the exit without another word. He needed to talk to Fornell and find out more about this gang or drug cartel or international crime organization or whatever the hell they were. The last thing the navy needed was a friggin gang killing their men. They were losing enough of their men in the line of duty. Jenny had told him a whole crap load of information, none of which interested him at that much. All he wanted to know was why Petty Officers would be targeted and torn to ribbons by a group like MS-13. Whoever was responsible would pay dearly.

 ** _A/N_**

 ** _Thanks for all the lovely reviews._**

 ** _I posted this update last night when I was tired from the time change. I reread it this morning and was appalled at all my mistakes. So if you have read it once, forgive me for the errors. Please do read it again. I added a few things and tried to correct my mistakes. This time change has kicked my butt! My youngest is two and she is getting up at 4:30am! My day starts far too early for my liking so by 9pm, I'm toast._**

 ** _Anyone else have early birds? My early birds have caught the worm and left no leftovers for any others._**

 ** _Baby is still kicking and doing well. I'm ready to meet this little one but obviously he or she isn't ready to meet me._**

 ** _Hope you are enjoying the story :)_**

 ** _Blessings until next time._**


	8. Chapter 8

_**A/N**_

 ** _._**

 ** _This chapter beat my butt. I wanted to keep Gibbs realistic but canon confuses me sometimes, so maybe Gibbs is OOC._**

 ** _I've read a lot of fanfiction as well and some of it confuses the heck out of me. I haven't watched enough episodes to truly understand the deep facets of the characters. Sooo, all that to say, I hope this chapter isn't too out there, particularly the talk between Gibbs and Abby._**

 ** _Enjoy!_**

 ** _Oh, and thanks for the lovely reviews. They inspire me to keep on writing :)_**

Gibbs came down the stairs with determination and a clear mission in his mind. Time was clicking by too fast, and he'd gotten nowhere on this case or Abby's. He needed to get his team focussed. He was going to start by getting Abby and the girls to a safe house. Once he knew they were safe, he would be better able to focus on the tasks at hand. As he reached the bottom of the staircase, he saw McGee with Janessa. The little girl was holding his agent's hand and merrily skipping beside him, chattering away. McGee seemed quite content and comfortable with the little girl, even enjoying her company. As soon as they rounded the corner, the little girl launched herself into Gibbs' arms.

"Hi, Mr. Gibbs," she said. Her big grin exposed her missing front tooth. Gibbs frowned slightly. He must have been losing his mind because he was certain that the last time he'd seen the child she'd had all her teeth.

"Mr. McGee made me eat veggables and my toof fell out!" she announced.

Gibbs bit back a smirk while looking at McGee. Leave it to Tim to be the grown up in all this chaos. At least one of the adults was thinking responsibly where the kids were concerned and choosing to give them something healthy to eat.

"Look, it still has blood on it. Isn't that discusting?"

Janessa held out her hand so Gibbs could inspect her tooth properly. Gibbs looked at Tim who shrugged his shoulders.

"Totally disgusting," he agreed, inspecting the tooth with a look of respect on his face. "The tooth fairy will be impressed." Janessa giggled at his words. Turning his attention back to McGee, Gibbs said, "Glad to know someone is being responsible, McGee."

Tim smiled diffidently in response to the praise.

Gibbs shifted the little girl to his other arm as he handed a file to Tim. Tim accepted the folder becoming more serious and looked at Gibbs for direction.

"Tim, I need a BOLO on Rick Richter."

"Right away, Boss," said Tim. Gibbs expected the man to whisk himself away but, instead, Tim hesitated and looked at Gibbs strangely.

"Something the matter, McGee?"

Tim shifted uncomfortably where he stood. Gibbs noticed how anxious Tim acted around him normally. The kid always seemed like a bundle of nerves and, for the most part, Gibbs ignored it; he hoped that with time and maturity, the young man would outgrow it. The trouble was Tim hadn't. In fact, when he was really distraught, the anxiety increased.

"Relax, Tim, I'm not going to bite ya hard the first time," joked Gibbs, trying to lighten up the mood somewhat. He understood everyone was on edge. Out of everyone on his team, he realised that Tim would be feeling the most anxious about Abby, more so than anyone else. Abby and Tim were connected. They had dated at one time, but it hadn't meant to be that they be a couple. Yet, they were more than that, they were kindred spirits.

"Do you bite people, Mr. Gibbs?" piped up Janessa, looking concerned.

Gibbs chuckled. He would need to be careful how he phrased his words around the girls. They were certainly more literal than he remembered children to be.

"I dunno; do I bite, McGee?"

Gibbs figured he would toss the ball to Tim and let him explain his reaction, and maybe Gibbs would be able to better decipher exactly why Tim was looking so bewildered. He had a hunch but he wanted to be sure. Janessa looked at Tim with an anxious expression on her face.

Tim dropped his gaze to the floor with an awkward laugh. After a several moments passed, McGee reached out to snatch Janessa out of Gibbs' arms.

"Nah, he doesn't bite." Tim eyed Gibbs carefully. Gibbs softened and held his gaze trying to reassure the man rather than intimate him. His intention wasn't to give him an ulcer, but to offer some kind of unspoken comfort.

"C'mon with me, Nessa," continued Tim, not taking his eyes away from Gibb's probing glance. "I need some help sorting paperclips. I think you'd do a great job sorting colours. Think you could help me with that?"

Gibbs smirked at McGee who still looked extremely uncomfortable. Janessa wrapped her arms around McGee's neck content with the answer, looking excited at the thought of paperclips.

"Can I make a necklace with the pink ones?" she said as Tim began to walk away towards the bullpen.

"McGee?" called Gibbs after him.

Tim turned briefly, making eye contact with him.

"Nothing is going to happen to Abby."

Tim took a deep breath, licked his lips slowly, nodded then turned and walked away. Gibbs dropped his hands to his side, trying to shake the tension out of his shoulders. He needed to believe his own words as much as McGee did. The sooner he got his hands on Rick Richter, the sooner they'd have some answers on that.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Several moments later, Gibbs walked into the bullpen to see Tony sitting on his desk talking quietly with Abby. A small smile played on his lips as he overheard their conversation. Abby sounded more relaxed and at ease than earlier. Tony was joking around, alleviating some of the tension in the air. Gibbs glanced over to see Tim putting Janessa to work on the paperclips while he set himself to work at his computer. Little Aimee seemed engrossed in something on Tony's monitor and was oblivious to her surroundings. Ziva's desk was still empty which made Gibb's pulse pick up pace in his chest. He didn't like when any of his team was out in the field alone. As Gibbs approached his desk, he reached up and rapped Tony on the back of the head.

"Get your ass off my desk, DiNozzo," said Gibbs, wishing he had some strong, black coffee to drink. His felt his heart jump to his throat when he saw Abby's forlorn look. Her eyes were red-rimmed from crying, and her face was flushed. Damn it, thought Gibbs, what was it about that girl that drove him to distraction? He couldn't help but feel responsible for her. He couldn't help feeling angry that she didn't seek his help. Why did she always try to fight her battles on her own?

Tony groaned from the smack while quickly jumping off Gibb's desk and rubbing the back of his head.

"Sorry, Boss," the younger man said, having the grace to look repentant.

Gibbs cocked his head to the side and sighed while giving him another sharp look. The last thing Gibbs needed was apologies. He wanted action, not platitudes.

Tony swallowed, correcting himself quickly, "Err…I mean it won't happen again, Boss. Abby and I were just…"

"Ziva is out on assignment on her own and she needs backup…" began Gibbs, interrupting Tony's explanation. Gibbs already knew what Tony had been doing, and he appreciated it. He planned to have a nice chat of his own with Abby soon but, for now, he needed to get Tony to find out if Ziva was okay. "Director Sheppard has her checking out Intel on MS-13. Find out everything you can about those sons of bitches."

Tony nodded and glanced at Abby. Gibbs nodded to him that Abby would be fine. Tony had done his job and now it was Gibb's turn to take over. Gibbs noticed tears flood Abby's eyes once more as she looked at both of them. This time, Gibbs couldn't help himself. He walked closer to his Goth girl and planted a kiss on top of her head.

"Everything will be ok, Abbs," he whispered.

Abby sniffled and nodded, leaning slightly into the kiss. Gibbs gave her a brief pat on the shoulder and continued towards Tony again.

"What are you waiting for, DiNozzo?" Gibbs saw him hesitate again and glance at the girls. Gibbs shook his head letting Tony know he didn't need to concern himself with the girls. "Ziva is the one I need you to find."

Tony nodded, grabbed his gear carefully so to not disturb Aimee and left the bullpen.

Gibbs scrubbed a hand over his face as he scanned his nook of the bullpen. He needed to get the girls to a secure place, and he needed to have an all-important chat with Abby. Those were his top priorities at the moment. Then, after he secured all his girls' safely away, he could attend to the matters at hand, the biggest one being interrogating Rick Richter. Gibbs rubbed the back of his neck, feeling the fine hairs standing up on end. He was just itching to get his hands on the creep.

"McGee, I want you to take Janessa and Aimee to the safe house and wait there. I need to talk to Abby for a bit and then she will relieve you."

"What? No!" cried Abby from behind him. Gibbs spun around on his heel to see Abby jump to her feet and rush to his side. Her face had changed from contrite sorrow to unabashed outrage. Before Gibbs could open his mouth to finish his thought, Abby was ranting about how she was needed at NCIS and how her lab had been taken over by wanton aliens bent on destroying her life's work.

"Abbs…" Gibbs said, hoping she'd stop long enough to take a breath and let him explain a few things to her calmly. However, Abby continued her rant without stopping, going on about how no one could use her computers or her equipment with same flair and commitment that she could and that she was in no danger whatsoever. Gibbs felt his temper simmering deep down, threatening to bubble to the surface as she continued her histrionics.

"Stop!" he commanded, using a quiet but firm voice.

Abby's eyes flared in response, not being waylaid in her tirade. Gibbs placed a firm hand on her arm to stop her but she pulled back.

"Gibbs, you need me!" she finished, her voice high-pitched, before stopping and taking a breath, after her rather long diatribe. Then, as if realizing she was causing a scene, she glanced around her to see McGee's mouth dropped in surprise and Janessa standing to her feet with eyes wide open.

"Are you finished? Abbs," asked Gibbs, raising a brow at her.

She nodded, dropping her arms to her sides and looking sheepishly at him.

Gibbs glared at her sternly for a few moments. He had reached his end of patience with his lab rat today. They needed to have a long chat. Now. Things needed to be set straight and the sooner the better. He needed his confident forensic scientist back, not the petulant child that was standing in his midst. Gibbs turned his attention back to McGee.

"Get a move on, McGee."

McGee rose to his feet quickly, grabbing his backpack and jacket. Gibbs approached a wide-eyed Janessa and scooped her up in his arms.

"Think you can keep an eye on McGee and Aimee for me?"

The little girl stared at him carefully as a little smile settled on her lips.

"Sure, Mr. Gibbs, but Aimee isn't gonna like it."

Her cute, pouty little lips reminded Gibbs of Shirley Temple when she was a young child. In fact, if Gibbs looked closely enough, he thought he could see little dimples in her cheeks. Gibbs gently dropped her to her feet and watched as she joined McGee. He couldn't help but smirk when he saw her pocket all the paperclips she had been sorting, noticing that everyone she'd stuffed in her pocket was pink. From the corner of his eye, he saw McGee grab his laptop and shove it into his already overstuffed backpack. If McGee was going to be stuck babysitting, he was going to redeem his time. Behind him, Gibbs could feel Abby staring at him, still quiet and speechless at how he was acting towards her. Abby wasn't used to being in his bad books, but the truth of the matter was that she wasn't really in his bad books. She would never be completely out of his favour. He adored her. Gibbs just needed her to know how much it meant to him that she ask for help when she needed it. She was too important to him. He couldn't lose her, especially over her ridiculous pride.

Gibbs walked up over to Aimee and realized that she was watching a cartoon. He lifted a brow in amusement, wondering how Tony had managed to get the inquisitive girl to watch it so intently. The girl seemed almost glued to the program. He felt certain that his special agent wouldn't have been able to get the girl to watch it without a purpose. Aimee was far too shrewd to be duped into watching the cartoon just as a distraction. He tapped her on the shoulder gently causing her to jump. She pulled the earphones off and looked at him in bewilderment. Gibbs could tell she had been quite absorbed in the movie.

"Good movie?"

She nodded. "Tony wanted me to help him out with a cold case," she explained. Gibbs thought she looked rather astute sitting there perfectly poised and thoughtful.

"I see. That's very helpful of you to offer to help." She nodded her agreement. "Since I'm the agent in charge of the team, I'm going to have to overrule Tony on his case. That ok?"

Aimee stretched out her back and looked around the room. She made a quick assessment of her surroundings before returning her gaze back to Gibbs.

"Yah, it's ok. I've watched enough anyways. I'm gonna need some paper, though, so I can write Tony a note."

Gibbs looked around Tony's desk and saw a notepad and some coloured pens. He pointed towards them. "Will they do?"

Aimee nodded her approval and reached to grab them.

"Good. I need you to go with McGee and Janessa to a safe house. Abby and I will join you guys in a couple hours. You can jot down your findings for Tony there and give it to him when you see him. That sound okay to you?" Gibbs was silently crossing his fingers that the little girl wouldn't kick up a fuss about things. So far she was being pretty agreeable, and he wasn't sure how long his luck was going to hold out.

Aimee looked like she was considering his request carefully.

"You're coming later? Is that a promise?"

Gibbs held out his hand for her to shake.

"It's a promise you can take to the bank."

Aimee chewed her lip tentatively, but she didn't shake his hand. Instead, she glanced over at McGee and Janessa who had packed up and were waiting in front of Ziva's desk. Aimee stood up on the chair until she was face to face with Gibbs. He instinctively reached out to keep her from falling off the twisty office chair. She steadied herself and pointed a finger at him resolutely.

"When you get back, you and me need to have a talk. Got it?"

Gibbs brow raised in amusement. "Got it."

A part of him felt like he ought to salute her. It was that part of him that scrubbed a hand across his face to hide a smirk. She was quite the kid. Gibbs watched as the little girl jumped off the chair, grabbed her notepad, pens, and her jacket and followed McGee and her sister to the elevator. She never looked back. Gibbs shook his head with a small smirk forming on his lips. The kid had a lot of spunk, and he couldn't help but respect that.

Gibbs turned back his attention to Abby who was still standing in the middle of the bullpen where he'd left her. He was thankful that she had chosen to remain silent after her outburst. He knew they needed some time to talk, but NCIS wasn't the place. They needed somewhere more private.

"With me, Abbs," said Gibbs, walking to his desk grabbing his car keys and belongings.

He headed towards the elevator without turning back to see if she was following him. He knew she would. She wanted to hash things out as much as he did.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Gibbs walked in the door of his house, dropping his car keys on the coffee table in the living room. It had been a painfully quiet ride. Neither Abby nor he had bothered to try and make small talk. Abby had stared straight ahead keeping her thoughts to herself. The silence might have been considered deafening to another but Gibbs welcomed the quietness, lost in his own thoughts.

Gibbs was angry, and Abby knew it. Her silence was her gift to him, her way of acknowledging that she understood. He hadn't even intended on going back to his place until he started driving. He'd just ended up in that general direction and went with it. He didn't plan to stay long but he had a burning desire to have a moment to survey his home. The crime units had combed the residence thoroughly, garnering from it any type of evidence they could possibly find to help discover who was responsible. He was relieved to see that most of the disarray had been cleaned up and his windows boarded over. The inside of the house was dark enough for him to feel the need to flick on a light. He saw Abby walk in behind him, closing the door.

"Oh, Gibbs," gasped Abby, breaking the silence.

Her large green eyes surveyed the damage with alarm as Gibbs tipped his head slightly, grimacing at the bullet holes in his walls. It was a definite mess, to say the least, but nothing that couldn't be fixed or repaired. Gibbs didn't mind hard work. He enjoyed working with his hands. Hard work was good for the soul, and it helped to fill the time, keeping his mind occupied so it couldn't dwell on the past.

"It looks worse than it is," he assured her, running his hands over the holes. "Nothing a little mud and paint can't fix."

Abby chewed her lip nervously as she walked closer to him, running her hand over the wall as well. She looked skeptical as she poked her finger in one of the particularly larger holes in the plaster. Gibbs figured several bullets had hit that spot, knocking a picture off the wall and sending a large chunk of plaster to the floor. It would take a lot of effort to patch it up but it was still salvageable. Gibbs' hands continued running along the wall until it came to the wooden frame around the kitchen door. The frame was riddled with holes and large chunks of the wood were missing. He felt his guts churn as he caught a glimpse of his and Shannon's hasty scribbling that had marked Kelley's growth on the door frame. That damage brought hot tears to his eyes. Abby placed her warm hand on his offering her sympathy to him, acknowledging his pain. He dropped his hands to his waist and blinked away the emotion. He silently reprimanded himself. It was just a damned house, not a shrine to his dead family.

"I'm sorry, Gibbs," whispered Abby, her eyes still on the random scribblings on the wooden frame. Gibbs sighed audibly. He appreciated her sympathy, but it wasn't something he needed at the moment. What he really needed was for her to understand how much he cared about _her._ He needed her to understand that it would rip his heart out if anything happened to her. She wasn't just a co-worker or a casual acquaintance. She was _his kid_. His daughter.

"The holes can be fixed, Abbs," he said softly.

His words seemed to ricochet off the violated walls, penetrating her heart. He saw her bottom lip quiver and knew he was getting to her, breaking through her defenses. That was what he wanted. He wanted her to realise that she couldn't be fixed or replaced if something should happen to her. She was not replaceable. He walked towards the fireplace mantel pointing at his grandfather's clock to further make his point. A bullet had blasted through the glass of the beautiful antique timepiece. He opened the door of the clock, inspecting the damage. He blinked a few times as he grimaced at the sight. The inner workings of the cherished clock were in ruins. It would take a skilled clocksmith to fix it.

"Clocks can be repaired," he murmured.

Leaving the glass frame ajar, he continued walking towards the window facing his front yard. Someone had boarded it over blocking out most of the light. Small beams of sunlight managed to escape through the cracks in the pressed wood. There wasn't much light left in the day and it seemed to be fighting to keep its existence, even in his living room.

"Windows can be replaced."

He turned to look at Abby who was wringing her hands in consternation. He felt fairly confident that he was getting his point across, but he walked across the room and breached her personal bubble anyways. He leaned in close enough to smell the recent cherry Caf-pow on her breath. She didn't flinch or move away from him. She had no reason to fear him.

"You, on the other hand, Abby, are irreplaceable."

Abby's eyes swam with tears as she maintained eye contact with him before swallowing hard and dropping her fidgeting hands to her sides.

"Ok, Gibbs, I get it."

He leaned in closer, within a hair's breadth of her face. "Do you? Abbs? Do you really because from where I'm standing, I'm not so sure."

She reached out and pushed him backward with purpose.

"Geez, Gibbs, knock it down a peg or two."

Abby began to pace back and forth in front of him, wringing her hands once more. Her shoulders were hunched forward and her breathing was rapid. Gibbs continued to glower at her as she paced, his blue-grey eyes piercing.

"I wasn't in any danger, Gibbs. It wasn't like that. Rick was nice to me, and we had fun hanging out together. We just weren't on the same page, is all."

Gibbs jaw dropped in disbelief. Was she serious? He felt his temper simmering low in his gut, but he swallowed hard to keep from saying something he would regret. He wasn't her keeper, and he knew that. It wasn't that he wanted to control her or have her tell him every little detail about her personal life. He just didn't want her keeping things from him when she needed help. If you need help, you ask for it. You don't try to figure it out on your own and hope for the best.

Abby didn't look at him but continued talking.

"He just couldn't take no for an answer when I told him I didn't want a relationship with him. Things started to get a little out of hand, but I handled it, Gibbs. I thought you'd be proud of me when I filed a restraining order against him."

Gibbs lifted a brow in bewilderment. Proud? She thought he'd be proud that she trusted a lawyer to issue a restraining order? He put his hands on his hips and gazed at the floor, swallowing the resentment bubbling to the surface. Deep breaths, Jethro, he said to himself.

"Things died down for a little while, so I thought he'd gotten the message. Then one day after work he showed up by my hearse and got a little touchy-feely. But, Gibbs, you know I can handle myself. Remember the time that guy pretended to be an NCIS agent and it turned out he actually wasn't an agent and really just wanted to kidnap me? Remember, Gibbs?"

Gibbs licked his lips, his hands still on his hips. He remembered alright. He remembered being terrified that she was being hurt by that creep. He remembered the adrenal rush he'd had when he discovered she was in danger. He remembered how cold his blood felt in his veins and how loud his heartbeat sounded in his inner ear. Oh, he remembered. He couldn't forget.

Abby didn't wait for his answer as she continued pacing and rambling on.

"I did handle it, Gibbs. When he kept harassing me, I went and talked to his father. He's a very nice man, Gibbs. You'd like him. He reminds me of Ducky in a lot of ways, only he doesn't have a British accent and he doesn't wear those cute little bow ties…"

"Abbs," interrupted Gibbs.

He couldn't do it any longer. He couldn't stand there listening to her rambling on, defending her actions when he really just needed her to understand the real heart of the matter. But Abby didn't take the hint and she didn't look up at him. She just kept pacing and blathering.

"Right," she said. Then she lowered her voice like she sometimes did when she mimicked him, pretending to say what she thought he would say.

"Get to the point, Abbs," she graveled, pretending to be him talking to her.

Often she was correct guessing his thoughts but not this time. He wasn't going to tell her to get to the point because as far as he was concerned, she didn't get the point. She didn't get why he was so angry with her.

She turned to look at him as she worried her lip with her teeth.

"The point is, Gibbs, is that I was never in any danger…"

Gibbs dropped his hands from his hips and closed his eyes. He'd heard enough. He'd reached the limit of her ramblings and her misunderstanding of his anger towards her.

"Sit," he commanded.

His voice was so dangerously low that it came out as a whisper. Anyone that knew him knew that he wasn't a yeller. He never shouted at anyone. No one listened to people who shouted at them. It wasn't proactive. Shouting was reactive and never accomplished anything useful. It begot fear. Gibbs could get his point across very well without raising his voice. He was well known to do an excellent job at intimidating people simply by staring at them.

Abby's eyes flew open and she moved to sit on the sofa behind her. Gibbs bit back a grin. Despite being angry with her, his heart was filled with love for her. He knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that she respected him and cared about what he thought. She never wanted to do anything to upset him, and he realised that she hadn't done anything to purposely aggravate him. He forced himself to take a deep breath as he walked towards her, sitting down on the coffee table in front of her. She nervously looked up at him with tears filling her eyes. Gibbs thought maybe she was finally realising the enormity of the situation and how he perceived things. He hoped she was.

"Abbs," he said.

She blinked back tears, trying desperately to prevent them from escaping down her cheeks but it was to no avail. They soon cascaded down her face, splashing onto her clothing. Gibbs reached out with his leather-like hand and brushed tears away with his thumb.

"Just listen to me for a minute, ok?"

She nodded. Gibbs put his warm hand on her cheek, patting it, lovingly. How could he make her understand how he felt about her? How could he truly make an impression on her so that there would be no room to misconstrue his true feelings?

"If you need help, Abbs, you ask for it. You don't try to sweep things under the rug. You don't try and handle things on your own. You ask for help."

His blue eyes burned into hers. She was biting down on her lower lip with such intensity that Gibbs felt the need to reach out and rescue it from her teeth for fear she would bite clean through it. Abby startled at his touch but didn't pull away.

"Gibbs," she whined. "I didn't need you swooping in with a tire iron ready to bash his skull in…"

Gibbs raised his hand to stop her. "I don't want to hear it, Abby. You and I both know you're being ridiculous. No one threatens you and gets away with it. It's just that simple." His voice was resolute. Her safety and well-being were what was at stake, and he wasn't going to let her away with making idiotic excuses for why she didn't ask for help. Family helps family. He didn't think he had that many rules that he ardently enforced but this was one he did.

Anger flashed in Abby's eyes at his seemingly condescending tone.

"Don't patronize me," she snapped. "I can handle things on my own without the great and powerful Gibbs needing to step in and rescue me."

Her voice was a mixture of exasperation and facetiousness which surprised Gibbs. He tipped his head and bit down on his tongue, thinking carefully before he uttered any more words. Her flippant response had taken him aback, but it hadn't been the first time. He remembered one other time in particular when he had been exasperated with her. He'd been so frustrated, in fact, that he had threatened to start smacking her like he did DiNozzo. He'd surprised himself by saying it. It wasn't something he'd planned on saying. It wasn't that he hadn't thought of it on the rare occasion, but he'd never planned to say it out loud. The thing was he couldn't bring himself to actually smack her in the back of the head. On some level, it just felt wrong to do that to her. Yet, he didn't have any trouble doing it to Ziva. Why was that? And in this moment, it felt like one of the times when he wanted to smack her. Propriety and social grace were the only thing that prevented him from doing it. His temper burned deeply within him causing him shift his position on the coffee table in obvious discomfort.

He pointed his finger at her sternly unleashing some of his pent up anger.

"Political correctness and social propriety are the only things keeping me from smacking you right now," he replied, his voice so dangerously low that he wasn't even sure she could hear him. But he knew she could read lips. He was positive his message was loud and clear. Her eyes grew as large as saucers. Gibbs knew it wasn't out of fear. Abby wasn't afraid of him. It was out of disbelief.

"You wouldn't," she said with shaky confidence.

Gibbs gave a little jerk of his head which ended in a curt nod. A feeling of déjà vu washed over him. They'd had this same conversation once before. He didn't think he ever could but everything within him wanted to. The last time he'd threatened the same thing, he'd only been half joking. She'd annoyed him for certain but it was more that he was already irritated with things going on around him. But this time he felt differently; he sincerely wanted to prove to her just how much he cared about her. How serious he was about her playing Russian roulette with her life. How sick he was of her pride.

"You would?"

There was definite doubt in her voice as tears flooded down her cheeks once again, but she didn't appear offended or frightened by the suggestion, just sad. He could feel his heart beating rapidly in his chest. He never thought he would feel so passionately about anything as he did about this. He knew that even if Shannon had physically threatened to tar and feather him, he still wouldn't have thought twice about chastening Kelly no matter how old she was if she dared put her life in danger like Abby had so nonchalantly done.

Gibbs gave Abby another intense and significant look. His face was deadpan. He couldn't have felt more serious as he contemplated his words. This time there was no hint of levity in his voice.

"It won't be on the head. I can promise you that."

He took that moment and leaned in close, planting a kiss on her tear-stained cheek. He rose to his feet and walked towards the fireplace. He needed to get a little distance because things were growing too intense even for him; he didn't want to do or say anything he might regret. He raked a weary hand through his short, graying hair and heaved a solemn sigh. He turned around and faced her again.

"This isn't coming from Agent Gibbs, alright? You've got to understand that. This is coming from me, Gibbs, and I'm talking to you, Abby, not my forensic scientist at NCIS. I'm dead serious about this Abby. When you need help, you come to me. I'm not fooling around here. Am I making myself clear?"

Abby cleared her throat softly as she hid her face in her hands and sobbed. It broke Gibb's heart to see her so contrite and broken, but if his words got through to her on some subconscious level then it was worth it to him.

"Am I?" he asked again.

She lifted her head with tears streaming down her cheeks, her mascara bleeding around her eyes and nodded. She looked a pitiful sight, and Gibbs was itching to embrace her but he couldn't. Not yet. He needed to know that she understood what he was saying to her. She needed to understand what road he was willing to travel should she dare to defy him on this again.

"Yes."

"And do you understand what I'm saying to you, Abbs?"

Her lip quivered slightly. "You get that you're not really my father, right?"

Gibbs walked over to her and stood over her with a gentle expression on his face. He knew he wasn't her biological father. He realised that she was an adult and she could walk away from him and out of his life forever but he didn't care. She had that choice. But as long as he lived, she would be his daughter.

"No, I'm not biologically. But in here," he pointed to his heart, "you are my daughter, and I love you."

Abby dropped her chin to her chest as she collapsed into Gibb's arms.

"I'm so sorry," she sobbed.

He held her close, kissing the top of her head. He felt just a little relief. Maybe, just maybe he had gotten through to her just how much he cared about her.


	9. Chapter 9

_**Author's Note:**_

 ** _I had this chapter finished on my laptop and wanted to post it while I had a moment._**

 ** _Thanks for the reviews. Keep them coming! They make me smile. :)_**

Gibbs stepped from the elevator, gripping two paper coffee cups and marched into the bullpen. Ziva and Tony were standing by his desk quietly discussing something Gibbs didn't care to know in that moment. He set the cups on his desk, throwing a steely glare towards Ziva. She narrowed her eyes, returning his glare with a hint of bewilderment. From the corner of his eye, Gibbs noticed McGee looking drained causing his conscience to pierce him. It was early and the kid couldn't have gotten much sleep. Abby and he hadn't arrived at the safe house to cover for him until quite late. Gibbs hadn't been surprised to find McGee still working hard on the case while the little girls slept. He'd sent his tired agent home but knew he'd find the young man at his desk bright and early and there he was just like clockwork. McGee wasn't anything if he wasn't dependable and punctual.

"Morning, Boss," acknowledged Tony, flashing him a toothy grin. "Found Ziva safe and sound."

Gibbs ignored his senior agent and walked right up to Ziva, invading her personal bubble. Reaching his hand up, he landed a mighty smack to the back of her head causing her to flinch and cry out in pain as well as astonishment.

"Hurt, David?"

"Yes," she snapped, reaching her hand up to rub the back of her head.

Gibbs caught her hand in his and held it tight. "Good because if you EVER, and I mean EVER, go out into the field alone without back up again, that will feel like a love tap compared to what you will receive from me. Am I making myself clear?"

Ziva's eyes widened in bewilderment; she began to stammer excuses to explain why she'd gone off on her own which only caused Gibbs to tighten his grip on her wrist.

"I said, am I clear?"

Gibbs could see Tony's mouth open in uneasiness. It was obvious that Tony didn't approve of how hard he'd smacked Ziva, but Gibbs didn't care. It wasn't very often he felt the need to be so firm with Ziva, and perhaps this was the first time he'd ever really seriously smacked her as hard as he did Tony. He knew he'd hurt her, but he also knew he'd do it again in a heartbeat if it would make her think twice before doing anything so stupid again. He didn't care what anyone thought either. No one on his team went out alone. Period.

"Perfectly," she stated sardonically.

Gibbs released her hand but didn't move from her personal space; instead, he leaned in even closer to her.

"I don't care if the President of the United States himself gives you an order. You DO NOT go anywhere without someone to watch your six." The last three words were staccato. He meant them. "We know very little about MS-13, and we have no idea what we're dealing with here. No one on my team goes out alone."

Gibbs continued to glare for several moments allowing his words to sink in. He had spoken loudly and firmly for every member of his team to digest. He was making himself as concise as possible, and he didn't intend to repeat himself. Gibbs saw Tim swallow several times while Ziva and Tony remained completely transfixed on Gibb's stern face. Feeling satisfied he'd gotten his point across, he moved to pick up one of the cups on his desk and set it in front of Tim.

"Thanks for stepping up and helping me last night, Tim. I know it was late by the time I got Abby to the safe house."

Tim blinked several times in surprise. "S-sure, Boss. No problem."

Gibbs leaned in a little closer. "I appreciate it."

Time looked bewildered and at a loss for words. He nodded and reached for the cup with a smile. Gibbs hoped the kid liked the fancy schmancy coffee he'd bought him. He'd felt like a fish out of water trying to decipher the coffee shop's menu.

Gibbs turned his attention back to Tony and Ziva. He needed to focus on the matter at hand and he felt increasingly impatient about it.

"Talk to me," he groused.

Tony and Ziva began filling him in on what they discovered about MS-13 and the Percy family. As his two agents expertly reported their findings, Gibbs kept one part of his part brain succinctly focussed on them while another part of him silently berated himself for his overreaction towards Ziva. He was tired. His gut was screaming at him in a language he didn't even recognise these days. He couldn't find any rest. The more he found out about the cartel, the more unsettled he felt. MS-13 had their fingers in everywhere. They were involved in illegal immigration, human trafficking, child prostitution, drugs, assassinations, extortion, murder, rape, smuggling weapons and the list went on. Gibbs was also angry with himself for not knowing about this group before. In all his days as an NCIS agent, he should have come up against the group before, but he hadn't. Why was that? His only thought was that it was because they had never messed with the Navy before and now they had.

"The group also has formed commerce routes across the nation for drug-trafficking operations that often include "theft crews" who steal an over-the-counter cough and cold medicines from drugstores. The medicines can be easily altered to make other drugs and are sold to help finance MS-13 units," rambled Tony, pointing to the map he had brought up on the overhead monitor.

"You got a point yet, DiNozzo?"

Tony scratched the back of his head, looking chagrined by Gibb's gruffness. A small part of Gibb's conscience nipped at him, but he choose to ignore it.

"MS-13's reputation as a particularly brutal gang was cemented by numerous incidents across the U.S. In one, a former MS-13 member who had become a police informant was fatally stabbed and her head severed. In another, MS-13 members used a machete to cut off several fingers of a rival gang member." Gibbs forced himself to stay attentive this time. "The one thing that has been noted lately is whether the gang — whose original members in D.C. included people with paramilitary training who fled the civil war in El Salvador during the 1980s — is evolving into an organization that is in their image," continued Tony.

Ziva stepped forward with a grim look on her face. "The recent Houston incident sparked an FBI investigation that has reached into El Salvador to try to determine whether MS-13 members are receiving formal training in weapons and military tactics before they come to the USA — often as illegal immigrants."

Gibbs' eyes widened as the words sunk in, and he ran a hand through his hair as he began to pace the bullpen lost in thought. He scrubbed a hand across his face and stopped in his tracks, facing his agents.

"So, what you're saying is, these _kids_ , for lack of better word, are being trained in military strategies?"

"Not just kids, Boss," said Tony. "These are families: men, women, and kids. And if they don't have enough manpower where they are, they kidnap and force compliance. Raids of suspected MS-13 safe houses in Central America, Mexico and the USA by federal and international law enforcement officials resulted in more than 600 arrests and the discovery of gang "constitutions."

"They've discovered written documents, most of them crudely handwritten codes of conduct, listing a range of punishments — from death to severe beatings — for transgressions against the gang. The seizures marked the first time that such organizational records had been recovered in this country," said Tim coming to join them in the middle of the room and heaving a mighty sigh as he finished the sentence.

Gibbs took a deep breath. He didn't want to even think about what he was speculating but he knew he had to. It had to be said.

"They're recruiting armed forces."

It was the only thing that made sense. The organization could save time and effort by enlisting already trained personnel and their target now was the U.S. Navy.

"And the Percy's?" he asked, afraid of the answer.

Ziva fidgeted with her hands and chewed the inside of her lip pensively.

"I cannot find any connections yet, Gibbs; all I have is conjecture."

Gibbs raised his eyebrows. "Let me hear some."

"I don't even know where to begin. The chief Petty officer could have been recruited and refused or his wife and kids could have been targeted for trafficking or…the list is endless."

Gibbs nodded his agreement. There were too many "ifs" and not enough solid leads.

"Keep working on finding me connections."

All three of his agents nodded.

Gibbs picked up the coffee on his desk and handed it to Ziva.

"Good job, Zivers." He leaned in close and planted a kiss on top of her head.

Ziva took the coffee and smiled at him. The more relaxed look on her face told him that she had forgiven him for his harsh treatment of her earlier. He knew that she understood that it was just his way of showing that he cared about her and wanted her safe.

Gibbs grabbed the file McGee handed him and he turned to Tony.

"Richter?"

"He's in Interrogation room 10."

Gibbs nodded grimly, turned on his heel and started towards the elevators.

"With me, DiNozzo," he said as he left the bullpen.

"On your six, Boss."

As Gibbs pushed the button, he clenched his fists together. He needed Tony with him as his self-control; because, if he came within two feet of Richter without some sort of accountability, he just knew he was going to strangle the idiot with his bare hands before he even had a chance to interrogate the guy.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Abby paced sparse living room of the safe house. She hadn't got much sleep the night before. Her mind kept spinning in circles, not allowing her to get any rest. Gibbs and she had arrived at the residence much later than anticipated. Abby hadn't expected things to get so intense. She knew Gibbs had been angry with her, but she hadn't counted on him being THAT upset. The conversation they'd had kept playing on repeat over and over in her head. Nothing that had been said had anything to do her work. Abby knew she was a damned good forensic scientist. Getting hired at NCIS had been no easy task. It was a job that was coveted when she was in University. You had to be the best of the best to get hired on their forensics team, and once you were in, no one gave up the position. It was a fast paced environment, but it was an incredible career. Abby loved her job and wouldn't do anything to jeopardize it.

Only Gibbs wasn't mad at her because of her skills at work. He had made his upset known as being personal. Abby felt tears come to her eyes again as she thought of his quiet words. He wasn't angry because of her forensics, he was mad because she put herself in danger needlessly. Abby put her finger in her mouth and chewed on a hangnail as she nervously thought about what Gibbs had said to her. The atmosphere at work was playful most of the time. The job was intense; they dealt with death on a daily basis. Tony, McGee, Ziva and herself dealt with it with humor, and Gibbs played along in his own gruff way. They all needed the diversion and a release from the stress of it all. The playful pranks and head smacks were just part of the family dynamic that they had developed. Even Ducky and Jimmy Palmer in autopsy had been welcomed into the fold with Ducky being like the grandfather to them and a wise confidant for Gibbs. They were a family of their own with Gibbs taking on a bit of parental role. Only Abby hadn't realised just how seriously Gibbs took on that part…until last night.

She hadn't expected him to get so bent out of shape about not asking him for help when things got out of hand with Rick Richter. She was an adult; it was expected that she take care of herself, wasn't it? Only if she thought about it, ever since she'd started working at NCIS under Gibbs, the man had been looking out for her. He would check up on her now and then. He did odd jobs around her apartment when she needed help. If she was upset, she always found herself at his house, in his basement talking his ear off as they sanded his various woodworking projects together. If she was to be really honest with herself, she had also come to see Gibbs as a father figure as well. He never overstepped his boundaries, but he let her know that he was always there for her.

The trouble was, this time, she had felt her pride rear up; she had wanted to handle things on her own. She hadn't wanted anyone to know that she had made yet another stupid error in judgment about a man. She still hadn't finished chastising herself over Mikel Mawher. Gibbs had been angry with her then, and she never wanted to see that look of displeasure ever again. It had felt like ages before she felt comfortable in her own skin around him. His disappointment in her had made her feel uneasy for a very long time. Maybe they should have discussed it further, but Abby couldn't bring herself to bring it up and Gibbs never did. Gibbs had a way of just loving her unconditionally even if he was pissed at her. She knew that, in his eyes, nothing changed between them. But things had in her mind. Somehow she'd wanted to prove to him that she could handle things on her own. But she had failed miserably.

And now Gibbs had threatened to smack her.

Smack her! Her! Joke or not, she was unsure but, still, he had said it. Out loud. With a completely serious face. She was supposed to be his favourite. Everyone said so. Tony and Ziva and McGee always joked about her being Gibb's favourite. She rather liked that title. Gibbs was quite free with smacking all the others when they stepped out of line, even if it was just meant as a playful gesture. But deep down, Abby knew that sometimes Gibbs didn't always feel playful. Those smacks were done out of love when one of them did something stupid, something that jeopardized their personal safety. Those times his smacks meant something: a sharp warning to not repeat the behaviour because he loved them and didn't want anything bad to happen to them. Only once had he threatened to do it to her and that had been when she was being a bratty irritation to him, not a time when she had risked her safety because of pride. Abby knew that Gibb's threat this time had been personal. His eyes hadn't been joking and his face had been grimly serious. Too serious. And he made a promise to her. Gibbs never broke a promise to her. Not even once in all the time she'd known him. She didn't want to allow her mind to travel in that direction he was suggesting and she didn't plan to find out if he would follow through on his threat.

Tears fell down her cheeks as Abby continued to replay the conversation in her head. She glanced around the room to see the two little girls still fast asleep on the pull-out sofa. McGee had tried to get them to sleep in the bedrooms, but they had insisted on waiting up for Gibbs and her. Apparently, Aimee had a lot of her mind and had tried to wait up to talk to Gibbs. It had been well past 3am before they had arrived at the house. Gibbs had crashed for a few hours and had risen and left before Abby awoke as well. Abby wiped the traitorous tears away. She saw the two agents sitting in the kitchen drinking coffee. She didn't know Agent Tanner or Spencer very well, but she knew that Gibbs trusted them or they wouldn't be there. They would be able to keep the little girls safe. She grabbed a blanket from the chair in the room, wrapping it around her as padded barefoot into the kitchen. She needed some coffee and then she planned to head into NCIS. She could be a lot more useful in the lab then she was sitting around brooding at a safe house.

"G'Morning Miss Scuito," replied Tanner when she stepped into the room.

Abby nodded her greeting as she poured herself a cup of coffee. She wrapped her hands around the cup and inhaled the delicious smell. The aroma delighted her senses and she could feel herself becoming more alert. Caffeine was a wonderful thing.

"Whoever made this is a god," mumbled Abby, putting the cup to her lips.

The agents laughed at her comment. Abby didn't stop to think how she looked to the two agents sitting there. She was dressed in Gibb's baggy sweatshirt and her miniskirt peaked out from underneath. Her ponytails were in disarray and her makeup was long gone. She looked like a young teenage girl dressed in her father's shirt.

After a few moments, Abby lowered the cup with a satisfied smile. She could feel the caffeine pumping through her system and making her feel more alert. She glanced at the clock on the wall and realised she had been wasting time.

"Did Gibbs say when he'd be back to check on the girls?" asked Abby, still hugging the coffee mug.

One of the agents stood up to refill her cup. "He said he would call at lunch, but he left a message for you, Miss Scuito."

Abby's head shot up from her cup. "He did?"

The agent nodded. "He said you are not to go to NCIS today, and we were instructed to make sure you stayed put."

Abby's mouth dropped open. Her eyes flew from one agent to the other. Damn. Were they joking?

"But that's ridiculous. I need to go to work."

The other agent shrugged as he stood to his feet to refill his mug. Abby's eyes grew large. Agent Tanner was a lot bigger standing up than he had been sitting down. Abby was a tall woman at 5'9 and was used to towering over people, but Tanner had to stand 6'5. In fact, as he stood in front of her, she felt like a small girl in comparison. Agent Spencer couldn't help but smirk at Abby's reaction.

"Agent Gibbs said you were on babysitting duty today," said Spencer, her smirk growing bigger at Abby's look of bewilderment.

Abby set her mug on the counter louder than she meant to. Things weren't going like she'd thought but one thing about her that people often didn't realise was that she wasn't very often deterred from her intended goal.

"You can inform Agent Gibbs when he calls that I will be in my lab if he needs me." Abby walked out of the kitchen. "And tell him I expect two extra-large Caf-Pows as an apology."

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Gibbs sat in the chair opposite Rick Richter, staring the man down. The guy was a real piece of work, a cocky son of a bitch and Gibb's patience was wearing past thin into threadbare. The guy had ranted and raved in indignation at being interrogated for the past half hour while Gibbs simply sat glaring at him. Probably one of his more powerful weapons against anyone was Gibb's power of merely sitting and glowering at the individual until they became so uncomfortable that they start babbling. Only this time, the man in front of him was becoming more distraught and defensive which led him to rant rather than confess. Gibbs continued to stare at the dark-haired man dispassionately, trying to keep himself calm. The fact of the matter was that if Tony hadn't been in the room, standing behind him as his conscience, Gibbs would have simply snapped the guy's neck and been done with it.

McGee had found enough evidence on the creep's computer alone to put the guy away for a long time. But Gibbs wasn't simply content with that. Despite the fact that the reprobate had broken the restraining orders, stalked Abby relentlessly and threatened her numerous times, Gibbs wanted to know. NO, he _needed_ to know if the parasite had attempted to kill her.

Finally, when Gibbs could stand the man's irate voice no longer, he stood up ominously and leaned in as close as he could towards the man without touching him. Gibbs was so close in fact that he could smell the fear radiating from the man's breath.

"I've heard enough," groused Gibbs, his intimidating presence towering over the man.

The man stopped talking and subconsciously leaned away from Gibb's menacing glare.

"Look, I didn't blow up her hearse, all right? If you'd just listen to me for a minute instead of jumping to your own goddamned conclusions, you might realise that this is much bigger than you think."

Gibbs rose to his full height, crossing his arms in seething anger. Perhaps he should have let DiNozzo do the interrogation. Gibbs was pretty sure the case was heading more and more into the direction of personal; a conflict of interest even. Gibbs backed away and faced the observation glass, knowing Jenny was on the other side and also knowing she knew that the case was on the borderline for him. If anyone knew how Gibbs felt about his team's safety, it was Jenny. Out of everyone at NCIS, she'd known him the longest.

"It's not me that is out to get her!"

Tony moved towards the man this time and circled the table several times. Gibbs was grateful for the reprieve. He needed a few moments to clear his thoughts.

"So, what are you? The misunderstood knight-in-shining armour who rides in at the last second to be her saviour? Is that the game you're playing Richter? Because let me tell you something, Sir Lancelot, Abby has a lot of people to look out for her." Tony stopped behind Richter and put two firm hands on his shoulder, leaning over and whispering into his ear. "She doesn't need you!"

Richter shook Tony's arms off and pounded his fists on the table.

"This isn't a game. I'm not the one you should be worried about, okay? Abby wouldn't listen to me either and that's why her damned car is in pieces in your friggin Navy Yard. I tried to warn her. I'm trying to protect her!"

Gibbs' eyebrows shot up into his forehead, and he pushed himself away from the two-way mirror with such force that it shook in its frame. He could just see Jenny in his mind's eye scowling at him.

"You have a funny way of showing it, Richter." Gibbs reached for the folder on the desk, flung it open and tossed several official documents on the table in front of him. "Two restraining orders, charges of assault and harassment?" Gibbs all but gasped when he read the document he held in his hands. He hadn't even heard of that one, and he hadn't bothered to read the file in full for fear he'd kill the guy on sight. Never piss off a marine, especially a sniper. It wasn't a rule but it was now.

Richter swiped the papers off the table and stood up. "I had no choice! She wouldn't give me the time of day, and I needed to protect her."

Gibbs dropped the rest of the file one the table and slammed his fist down hard.

"Sit down!" His voice was dangerously low.

Gibbs watched as the man slowly sunk back into his chair. A look of fear washed over the man's face and Gibbs felt some peace in that.

"Abby and I…"

Gibbs pounded the table again. "There is no Abby and you!"

Richter blinked several times and cleared his throat nervously.

Tony stepped closer. "Charges of assault, Richter? You had the audacity to touch her against her will?"

The man began to sweat profusely. "She wouldn't listen to me. It was the only way." He fidgeted with his hands looking every bit the rodent he was.

Gibbs continued to glare at him while he fidgeted uncomfortably.

"Why did you blow up her car?" asked Gibbs

"I didn't! It wasn't me! I'm not the one trying to hurt Abby." The guy looked up with a pleading expression on his face. "Like I told her, this is way bigger than me. I've been dealing with a case for the past couple of years and Abby is in bigger danger than she realises, Agent Gibbs. I know who is after her."

Gibbs knew a lot of things about himself after all these years of interrogating people. He knew when someone was telling the truth and when someone was feeding him a line. There were telltale signs of it and Gibbs knew them all. His temper began to subside as he glowered at the weasel in front of him. The guy was an ugly ass predator but maybe there was more to the story than any of them knew. His gut told him that the guy wasn't lying about Abby being in danger.

Richter reached into his pocket hesitantly while keeping a sharp eye on Gibbs. He pulled out his cell phone and started searching through it. Gibbs saw Tony lean over the man's shoulder. After a few minutes, Tony snatched the phone from his hands and tossed it to Gibbs.

"I-I don't know the guy's name, just his face. Look at the pictures."

Gibbs grabbed a USB cord and plugged the phone into the monitor on the wall bringing up hundreds of pictures. He started flipping through them with his trained, keen eye.

"Exhibits A through Z of you violating your damned restraining order!" growled Gibbs.

The man's eyes flashed momentarily. "It's not breaking it if you are over 100 yards away."

Tony poked him hard in the back of the shoulder. "It is if you follow, harass or threaten."

The guy rolled his eyes. "Semantics, Agent DiNozzo. Anyways, look closely at the pictures and look for a guy with a tattoo across his forehead."

Gibbs started filing through picture after picture noticing the same guy in every shot. He zoomed in on the tattoo on the man's forehead. He felt his mouth go dry. Tony and his eyes met in horror. Mara Salvatrucha. Their trademark tattoos on display for all to see. A very clear warning to anyone who recognised it. Gibbs closed his eyes, letting out an inaudible groan. And two damned days ago, he wouldn't have recognised who the hell they were either.

"The only reason I was able to hack into Abby's computer in the first place was because someone broke through her safety protocols first. Abby's no dummy, Agent Gibbs. Not just anyone can break her authentication codes. She's a genius!"

Gibbs spun on his heel and approached Richter from behind. The man jumped from his chair bumping into Tony as he defensively attempted to escape from Gibb's steely glare. Gibbs narrowed his eyes dangerously as the man clambered away from both him and Tony towards the wall. Gibbs' eyes turned to the pictures on the screen once again.

"Get him outta my sight, DiNozzo."

Tony grabbed the guy by the scruff of the neck and dragged him towards the door.

"Hey, what about my phone?"

"Get outta here!" shouted Tony, opening the door and shoving him out towards the agent waiting outside the entrance. "Take his ass down to booking." Tony slammed the door in the sputtering man's face.

Gibbs walked up to the frozen screen with the tattooed stranger peering at Abby in a predatory way. Shivers ran up and down his spine as he stared at the display. What was MS-13's interest in Abby? Gibbs could not even allow himself to speculate.


	10. Chapter 10

"Calm down, Jethro," said Jenny, handing him a cup of coffee.

Gibbs paced her office stopping long enough to take the hot drink from her and then continued to wear a hole in her carpeted floor.

"Don't tell me to calm down," he growled holding the paper cup so tightly that he threatened to squish it and dump the contents over his hand and onto the floor.

Jenny sighed loudly. Gibbs was acutely aware of how concerned she was for him. He was radiating a mixture of bitter anger and disillusioned anguish. He saw her fretful face when he stormed from the interrogation room with Tony. She'd done her best to talk him down but had no success so she'd suggested, in no uncertain terms, that he follow her to her office. He'd gruffly followed her mumbling expletives under her breath. If he'd stop to consider her for a second, he might have felt guilty. He knew she hated seeing him looking so distraught. Gibbs was a formidable man, and it was disconcerting for others to see him looking so browbeaten. He gritted his teeth as he replayed the interrogation of Richter in his mind. He hated to admit that scum ball had had a point about Abby. For whatever reasons, Abby had been targeted by something far more insidious that even Richter. Gibbs tensed up when Jenny placed her warm hand on his. He turned to her and steadied his blue-grey eyes on her, willing himself to calm down. Jenny was only trying to help him.

"Why haven't we heard of this group before now, Jenn?"

"We have heard of them before, Jethro-"

"As a goddamned teenage gang, not an international crime ring!" he snapped.

"They've never crossed our radar until now," she reasoned, "Have you spoken with Tobias yet?"

Gibbs stopped pacing and shook his head. He'd left several messages with Fornell but hadn't had any of his calls returned as of yet, and he hadn't expected it. Gibbs knew that Tobias had taken his daughter, Emily, on vacation with him, and the man had probably taken himself off grid.

"The FBI has been tracking this group forever, Jethro. They might be novel to us but they certainly aren't to them. You know Tobias will give you all the information you need as soon as he can."

Gibbs nodded, finally starting to feel his heart rate slow down. He took a sip of the coffee and his eyes widened in disgust.

"THAT'S not coffee, Jenn!"

Jenny smirked. "The last thing you need is more caffeine, Jethro."

Gibbs tossed the cup into the nearby wastebasket and put his hands on his hips, glaring at her in indignation.

"You're a heart attack waiting to happen. Take a deep breath and relax!" Jenny admonished.

She grabbed his hand firmly in hers and pulled him over to the sofa in her office. She stood in front of him and forcefully shoved him backward, knocking him off his feet. Gibbs landed in the sofa with a grunt as his cell phone rang out loudly. He stared at her in exasperation unable to believe what she had just done. She smirked at him in return as he reached for his cell in annoyance.

"Don't answer it," she commanded. "Just take a few minutes to yourself."

Gibbs glared at her. He couldn't expect to keep his team accountable to staying reachable if he didn't do the same. He leaned to one side and fished his cell out of his pant pocket answering it gruffly.

"Gibbs."

Jenny looked on in concern as she watched the colour drain from his face as he listened to the information on the other side of the phone.

"When?" he demanded.

More emotions crossed Gibbs's face as Jenny stood watching him.

"Where the hell is Abby?" Gibbs' face reddened further as he listened to the voice on the other end of the phone. "I'm on my way. Keep searching; don't leave a stone unturned, Tanner!"

Gibbs flipped his phone closed and jumped to his feet, rushing towards the door.

"Jethro, what's wrong?"

"Aimee took off and no one knows where Abby is!"

Jenny's jaw dropped in bewilderment and she shook her head as she watched Gibbs fly out of her office.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Gibbs and the rest of the team arrived at the safe house and took over searching for Aimee and Abby. The agents in charge insisted that Abby had slipped away that morning describing their earlier conversation with her, but no one had seen hide or hair of her for hours. Aimee had awoken in a snit and couldn't be contained by the agents. She had managed to take off out the door and neither of the agents had been able to catch her, insisting that she had disappeared without a trace. Gibb's hand itched to smack both of them upside the head. How hard could it be to keep two little girls and a forensics scientist under control?

The team split up and combed the area searching for clues or something that would lead them to apprehend one or both of the missing troublemakers. All the time, Gibbs was going over things in his head regarding MS-13. Gibbs was a man of action and was always able to quickly grasp details and sort through them. This case was no different. He had been seeking connections and putting pieces together in his mind ever since he first saw the Percy family's remains in their home. He had hunches; he just needed the time to connect the dots.

"Boss!" called Tony from a distance.

Gibbs looked up to see Tony at the top of a hill in the backyard of the safe house.

"Found Aimee up a tree but she won't come down until she talks to you."

Relief washed over Gibbs as he walked towards Tony. Thank goodness the little girl hadn't wandered off too far. He had no idea if she was still in any danger or not, but he didn't want to take his chances. His knees ached as he climbed the hill and reached the top. His eyes followed Tony's finger which pointed to a sixty-foot-tall American Elm tree that stood directly above them. There Aimee was perched twenty feet in the air glaring down at them with venom in her eyes.

"Get down from there!" he snapped at her.

"No!"

Gibbs looked at Tony who shrugged his shoulders. "Going to keep looking for Abby, Boss. She's all yours. Good luck!"

"Gee, thanks, DiNozzo," replied Gibbs sarcastically. "Check Abby's lab; My gut says she went there."

Tony's eyes twinkled in response. "Mine does too."

Tony took one last look up at Aimee and chuckled out loud earning him a playful swat to the back of the head from Gibbs. _Just what I need, thought Gibbs, another wise ass in my midst_. Tony mock saluted him and headed off back down the hill towards the safe house leaving Gibbs alone with the troublemaker. He narrowed his eyes, glowering at the nine-year-old rebel scowling down at him.

"You broke your promise," she accused, definitely angry with him.

"How so?"

"You promised you would come last night and you didn't.

Gibbs groaned and reached up towards the closest branch, pulling himself up. It'd been a long time since he climbed a tree. His knees complained, snapping and popping loudly, as he made his way up the tree towards her. Her face paled slightly when she realised that he was coming to get her.

"I did."

"No, I waited and you never came. I woke up and you still didn't come."

Gibbs continued climbing, scraping his knees and arms on branches.

"It was late. I didn't want to wake you."

"Baloney."

Gibbs finally reached her limb and carefully lowered himself down beside her, breathing hard from the usual exertion. He'd forgotten how much of a workout it was to climb a tree.

"Been a long time since I climbed a tree," he said, not unkindly. He saw her squirm a little under his scrutiny but remained steadfast.

"You're too old to climb trees."

"Am not, besides you refused to come down."

"You promised we'd talk."

"Okay, so talk."

Gibbs saw her wrinkle up her nose. Her blonde hair rippled in the wind as she clung to the branch not daring to look down. Tears swam in her eyes threatening to fall but she blinked them back unwaveringly while continuing to glare at him. One part of him was impressed. She could cast a glare almost as good as he.

"I'm listening, Aims. You've got me all to yourself. What do you want to talk about?"

The little girl shrugged her shoulders in uncertainty.

"I want to know who killed my parents."

"So do I," Gibbs answered sincerely. "But I'm too busy climbing this damned tree after a naughty kid who I ought to pull over my knee." He pinned her with a steely glare.

Aimee fidgeted and face whitened even further. She turned her face away from him.

"Y-You can't do that," she dared, fear in her voice as tears escaped down her cheeks.

Gibbs reached out and pulled her face around so their eyes met.

"You sure about that?"

Aimee yanked her face away and inched herself further away from him. She stood to her feet and gripped the branch above her and started to climb higher. Gibbs felt his heart leap into his chest. He hadn't expected her to do that. Obviously, his usual scare tactics weren't going to work with this kid while she had the upper hand in the tree. He reached out his hand to try and catch her ankle as she climbed but she escaped his grasp.

"Damn it, Aimee. Stop that!"

"You can't tell me what to do. You're not my daddy!"

Gibbs growled to himself and stood to his feet as well. The branch under him cracked dangerously as he reached up to steady himself. As he watched, Aimee kept climbing higher and higher out of his reach. She was wiry and agile and weighed far less than he. Gibbs wasn't sure he'd be able to climb any further without the branches giving out under his weight. _Just what I needed, he thought, a friggin mini dictator._ He was going to need to get a whole hell of a lot better at the art of persuasion and negotiation.

Gibbs forced himself to calm down and take a deep breath to refocus him.

"You're right, Aims; I'm not your daddy and a lot of crappy stuff has happened to you, and I know you're scared…"

"I am not!" she snapped, still climbing even further from him.

"Okay, you're mad; I get it that." said Gibbs, attempting to label her emotions for her.

He looked up at her willing her in his mind to stop climbing and was relieved when she did. She sat on the branch about 10 feet above him. She just glowered at him while breathing hard and wiping at the tears on her cheeks.

"You have every right to be angry."

"I'm mad at you!"

"Why?"

"You didn't come when you said you would."

Gibbs sighed. They were going around in circles and not getting anywhere.

"Aims, listen to me, alright? I did come but it was at 3am in the morning. Life is like that when you're an agent. You were sleeping, so I didn't wake you. I got up early because I needed to go back to work. Life is like that too when you're an adult. I need to work, or I won't find out who is responsible for hurting your family."

Aimee worried her lip with her teeth as tears continued to cascade down her cheeks. She was listening, but Gibbs could tell he didn't like his answers. He also realised in that moment that she had latched onto him like a safety net. It caught him off guard because he hadn't expected it. He had hoped he would be able to bond the girls to Abby but, for some reason, Aimee was grabbing onto to him as her life line. _It certainly can't be for my pleasant personality, he thought._

"I need you to come back down to me. It isn't safe for you to climb so high. The branches could snap under your weight and you'll fall," he patiently explained.

She shook her head adamantly. "No, they won't."

"The longer I sit in this tree, the longer it's going to take me to find the monster who murdered your parents." She flinched at his words, but he wasn't going to coddle her on this. It was a reality. Her parents were dead because they were murdered and she was a witness. They didn't know how much she knew, and she didn't even realise how much she knew either but they were slowly gleaning information from her every day.

"I can't climb up after you, Aimee, but I'm not going anywhere until you come down. I don't want you to fall and get hurt. Please come down."

She shook head again. Gibbs took a deep breath as he stared at the stubborn child. He had no idea what she was thinking. He knew she was traumatized, confused and scared. Frankly, he had no idea how best to make her mind him. They hadn't been able to even speak with anyone who knew the family that well. It wasn't usual for military families to be aloof and unknown. The kids being homeschooled meant there were no teachers to ask about personalities and behaviour norms. They were flying blind on every level and all Gibbs had to go on was his gut instinct.

He scrubbed a hand over his face and went with it.

"Look, you have until the count of ten to come back down to me. If you don't listen to my words, I'll give you one swat for every number I count past 10. Understand?" Military kids were used to obeying without question, and he was betting that Aimee was used to a firm hand.

"No!" she shouted down at him, standing to her feet again.

Crap. Bad bet. Maybe her parents were part of that new fang-dangled, crazy liberal-minded nonsense he'd read about before. A load of malarkey in his mind but now he'd only managed to piss her off further causing her to climb higher. Gibbs carefully rose to his feet and began to ascend further up the tree praying hard that it would bear his weight.

"One," he counted slowly as he grunted and groaned, climbing towards her. He figured it was too late to back down now. He issued an edict and he planned to follow through with it now. The kid needed to know at the very least that he was a man of his word. "Two…"

Aimee froze in her place, not ascending any higher.

"Stop it!" she shouted at him angrily, "Stop counting!"

Gibbs stopped climbing and glared at her.

"Are you coming back down?"

"No!"

Gibbs continued climbing towards her, hearing the limbs crack and creak under his weight. The higher he climbed, the thinner the branches became.

"Then I can't stop counting…Three…four…"

"Gibbs, stop!"

"Climb back down towards me," he ordered, balancing perilously on a particularly weak branch. He reached above his head to balance himself better. His breathing was ragged as he stood there, and he didn't take an eye off the little girl above him. She stared at him while also looking nervously around her. Gibbs continued counting up to ten as she stood still blinking her eyes in anxious bewilderment. _Damn kid is stubborn, thought Gibbs._

"Ten," he counted. "I'm not playing games with you. The next number I say means a swat, Aimee. Are you coming down, or am I coming up to you?" Gibbs prayed she'd relent and not make him climb any higher. He wasn't even sure how he was going to get them both down. He was grateful the tree's branches seemed strong, but it did feel like it was swaying in the wind under his hands, and it was making him feel extremely unsettled.

"Stop counting, Mr. Gibbs. I'll come down."

Slowly and carefully she descended the branches towards him. Gibbs held his breath as she got closer to him. As soon as her foot came close, he grabbed onto it and helped her until she was on one branch above him.

"Stop there, kiddo." She stopped, breathing hard. He patted her leg gently. "Thank you for coming down. You were scaring me. I was afraid you were gonna fall." The little girl nodded but didn't say anything. Her eyes were big and tears were still running down her face. "Now, we have to work together to get down safely." He saw her face pale as she looked down towards the ground.

"Don't look down, Aimee. Look at my eyes."

She obeyed.

"I'm going to climb down one branch at a time, and I want you to do the same, understand?"

Aimee nodded again.

"Keep your eyes on me, Aimee, not the ground." he said, softening his voice somewhat.

Her eyes found his and locked on. Gibbs lowered his head and he slowly began to climb down, one branch after another, each time stopping so that Aimee could descend with him. Once he reached the lower limbs, he reached out and grasped her small frame under his arm and climbed the rest of the way down with her under his arm. Once he reached the ground, he gently dropped her to feet and leaned against the tree breathing heavily. He leaned over and put his hands on his knees as he attempted to catch his breath. His heart was racing in his chest. Aimee had been right. He was too damned old to be climbing trees.

He looked up at her and she averted her eyes, sheepishly licking her dry lips. Her face was smudged with dirt and numerous nasty looking scratches graced her cheeks probably from the branches. Her hair was matted at the back and her bangs were blowing in the wind, blond wisps fluttering into her eyelashes. Gibbs stood to his full height and a smile tugged at the corner of his lips. Despite her ragged appearance, she was a cute little thing. Likely something that saved her bacon on more than one occasion.

"Are you always this mischievous?"

The child furrowed her brow in confusion. Gibbs slid down and sat on the ground looking up at her with a smirk and a shake of his head. He leaned his head against the enormous tree and heaved a sigh of relief. Aimee took a few more steps towards him, looking pensive.

"You mad at me?" she asked.

Gibbs looked up at her in disbelief. The kid was a character.

"Yah, I am."

Aimee blinked back another onslaught of tears but didn't back away from him.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled.

Gibbs reached up and pulled her into his arms.

"Come now, there's no need to cry. You're safe now."

She collapsed against him and melted into the embrace. He rubbed his hand up and down her back as he listened to her sob. His heart went out to her. He knew she was frightened and lost. Her whole world had come crashing down around her, and she was fighting tooth and nail to maintain some kind of equilibrium. God only knew why she had chosen him as someone she trusted to keep the rest of her world on solid footing. Now he had to step up and be that person. He never intended to be involved quite to that degree but, for some reason, he always ended up getting too personally involved. This time seemed to be no different.

Gibbs pulled her away from him and sat her on his knee, peering into her eyes kindly.

"Don't do anything that stupid again!" he scolded. "You could have fallen and hurt yourself or worse."

She blinked back tears. "I climb trees all the time…" Her voice sounded tentatively indignant.

"I bet you do, but not one that stands 60 feet tall."

He narrowed his eyes at her. She tried to look away but he pulled her face around so she was forced to look him in the eye.

"Don't take off on your own either. We can't keep you safe if we don't know where you are. Got it?"

She nodded and Gibbs allowed her to relax back into his chest once more.

"Were you really gonna swat me?" she asked, her voice almost a whisper.

"Damned straight I was," he said firmly but not unkindly. "One thing you need to know about me, Aims, is I always mean what I say. Don't test me on that; I promise it won't bode well for you. I expect you to obey me."

Gibbs felt her shiver in his arms but she remained completely silent. He held her tightly and stroked her hair as he waited for his pulse to return to normal. He pulled her away again and looked at her intently.

"Do you still have something you want to talk about or should we go find Abby?"

The little girl shrugged and stood to her feet. "Better find Abby," she said.

Gibbs rose to his feet as well, brushing off the dirt and debris from the back of his pants. He noticed leaves and dirt on the back of Aimee's blue jeans as well. He reached out towards her, his hand meeting her backside several times just a little more firmly than needed in the effort to remove the clinging debris. Aimee's eyes widened in surprise, but she didn't say anything as she stepped away from him.

"I think you got it all," she all but whispered.

Gibbs winked at her. "Glad to hear it."

He chuckled and ruffled her hair gently feeling like he'd gotten his point across to her. He clasped her small hand in his own and they started to walk back towards the safe house.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

The elevator dinged loudly in the distance causing Abby's heart rate to increase tenfold. She'd arrived a few hours earlier and chased the other forensics scientist out of her domain, locking the doors. No one was coming into her space without announcing themselves and what their business was. Abby was on a mission. Ducky had left plenty of forensics evidence to rifle through and that was exactly what she planned to do. She heard banging on the thick metal door of her lab but she chose to ignore it. The banging continued for several moments and then mercifully stopped allowing Abby to continue her work. Chewing pensively on her lip, she absorbed herself by inputting data into her computers. The machines happily churned away working at obtaining the information she so desperately desired.

A loud banging on her window above her captured her attention and she jumped to see Tim's face peering down at her. She narrowed her eyes and scowled at him. Just because he was cute didn't give him an automatic pass into her lab.

"Go away, Timmy," she shouted not entirely sure if he'd hear her. "Can't you see how busy I am?" Abby knew her words were hollow ones. She was usually always up to her neck in work but that never stopped her under normal circumstances from visiting with anyone who happened to stop by her lab.

Tim continued to bang on the shatter proof glass and mutter words she couldn't hear. The trouble was, even though she couldn't hear him she could still understand every word he said. Stupid lip reading thing didn't always bode well for her. Abby forced herself to look back at her monitors, trying to ignore the incessant banging. After a few moments went by, she was relieved to see that Tim had given up his quest.

She nervously tapped her finger on the table as she tried to force herself to concentrate. She wasn't exactly surprised when the little communication link on her desk bleeped to life and she was looking into Gibb's cross looking face.

"Abby, what the hell do you think you're doing?"

Abby cringed slightly as she swallowed hard reminding herself to remain calm and controlled. It was a ridiculous question. What did he think she was doing? Why shouldn't she be in her lab gathering evidence for him? It was where she belonged, where she spent most of her waking hours.

"Gibbs, oh fearless leader, I've been waiting to tell you about my findings."

Abby noticed the red hue around Gibb's ears. Her mouth twitched sideways nervously as she sucked the corner of her lip into her mouth.

"Unlock your door, Abbs; I'm coming up." Gibbs' face disappeared and Ducky's came into view.

"Best to do as he says, my dear," advised the gentile M.E. with a grim smile. "I rather suspect that Jethro is just a little vexed with you this morning."

Abby chewed her fingernail nervously. "Did he happen to have any Caf-Pows on him?"

Ducky stared at her with just a little measure of amusement shining in his eyes and shook his head. "I'm afraid not, Abigail."

"I kinda thought not."

Abby ended the transmission and reluctantly unlocked the gray door, escaping into her glass cocoon. Gibbs could see and speak with her through the glass but he wouldn't be able to throttle her.

Abby was not kept waiting for long. There had been more than a few times she had wondered if the man was a superhero. He moved at the speed of light and always seemed to appear when she least expected him too. He was a modern mystery to her.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Gibbs came out of the elevator grateful to see Abby's door open. He hadn't been impressed earlier when he'd tried to speak with her. He had better things to do with his day than pound on her door. It hadn't taken long for Tony to discover where she was and similar to Aimee, he'd been relieved to know she was safe. Why was it that he couldn't seem to get the woman in his life to listen to reason? Gibbs gritted his teeth at the thought of something happening to her or the little girls he'd seemed to have grown so fond of. As it was, he'd decided against his better judgment to bring the little girls back to the Navy yard with him, no longer trusting anyone else to watch them. He'd felt better knowing that they were close to his team. He'd left the girls in the bullpen with Tony in charge. He felt sure that his second in command would show them a good time. Although he didn't want to know exactly what Tony had in mind for them.

Entering the lab, he noticed that Abby had barricaded herself behind the glass barrier in her office. She was pretending to look busy, but Gibbs knew her too well. The telltale signs of nervousness were on display for all to see. Abby could deceive a lot of people, but she'd never been able to fool him.

He strode up the glass and knocked on it purposefully. He watched as her face flushed and she pointed at the work on her desk, feigning pseudo-busyness. He tipped his head at her, nodding towards the controller on her desk. He knew that she knew he wanted her to let him in. Stalling him off wouldn't be a wise thing.

Abby squirmed in her seat, twisting a ponytail in her fingers. She didn't move to open the door so Gibbs began signing to her. The glass room was sound-proof as well so there was no point in trying to talk to her audibly.

"Open the door, Abbs," he signed his face deadpan.

She refused to look at him, but he knew she could read his sign language from the corner of her eye. He wasn't worried about her missing what he was saying. He also realised that much of the reason why she was holding up in her office was his fault. He should have figured she wouldn't stand for him forbidding her entrance to her lab. He should have taken the time to explain to her more concretely why he needed her help with the girls more than her help with forensics this time around. The fact of the matter was the forensics didn't much matter. They already knew who was responsible for the recent murders, well, perhaps not specifically but most certainly generally. Any one of the other scientists on the roster could figure out the rest. She needed to understand just how dangerous things really were and that she'd be better off in the long run.

"I know you can see what I'm saying, Abby, so you might as well answer me back. I feel mighty strange standing out here signing to myself."

He saw her smirk. It wasn't much but it was a start.

"Let me in."

Abby looked up at him and shook her head, signing to him in return.

"Love you, Gibbs, but I'm thinking I'm a whole heck of a lot safer in here than I would be out there right now."

Gibbs smirked. She was a card.

Two could play the game. "Aimee ran away."

He saw her rebellious demeanor instantly change to distress. She jumped to her feet and met him face to face at the glass door.

"You need to find her, Gibbs. Why are you here? Go! Go now!" Her hands signed furiously as she had the nerve to glare at him in admonition.

 _Bingo, thought Gibbs._ Found just the bait to snare her into opening the blast doors. He continued to stare at her, his blue-grey eyes full of anxious emotion. He felt just a little guilty at withholding information, but if it got her to the open the doors it would be worth it. She waved her hands at him like she was shooing him away. He stood steadfastly staring at her.

"Gibbs!"

He could tell she was exasperated with him, but he didn't move a muscle. It seemed like the tides had turned and Abby began to pace on the other side of the glass causing Gibbs to smile despite himself. He could almost count down the minutes left before she would break down her resolve and open the glass doors. Why did he know that? Because Gibbs knew her. She was Abby, and she couldn't help being a caring and compassionate person.

Gibbs walked away from her and feigned interest in her computers. Looking at her monitors and silently counting the minutes. From the corner of his eye, he saw her signing at him. Her infuriated temperament was shining through and it was all he could do not to fall prey to her ire. She was a brave girl when she was behind protective glass, he'd give her that much. Finally, like clockwork, she reached for her remote and opened the doors. She glared at him.

"Why are you still standing here when Aimee is missing? What's wrong with you, Gibbs? Have you lost your edge?"

Gibbs crossed the room, placing himself inside her personal bubble.

"Why do _you_ think, Abbs?"

His eyes revealed his lack of concern letting her know that the situation had been remedied.

Abby gasped indignantly then dropped her shoulders as it dawned on her that she had been conned.

"That was a dirty trick, Gibbs." She poked him in the shoulders.

He remained unmoved. "I seem to remember telling you to stay put at the safe house," he growled.

"You had qualified agents to watch the girls. They weren't in any danger, and you need me."

She suddenly became even more animated as her computer bleeped loudly. She all but skipped over to her desk and clicked a few buttons with a gleeful look on her face. She spun around on her heel and faced him, clapping her hands together in delight.

"Come and listen to this, Gibbs."

Gibbs sighed and walked over to her screens. Every so often he got downright discouraged trying to have any type of rational conversation with Abby. He sometimes even wagered to think she had a nasty case of ADHD that had somehow been misdiagnosed in her childhood.

"Do you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

She wrinkled her nose in annoyance. "Gibbs, I thought your hearing was better than your eyesight. How could I have been so wrong?"

Gibbs groaned at her sassiness which caused her to smirk a little. If she thought she was on safe ground with him, she was sadly mistaken.

"Okay, I'll just back it up a little and slow it down…play with the hertz a bit and we'll interpret it as we go."

Gibbs listened. "What the hell is that anyways?"

"Audio from the Percy's house. They found one of the kid's toys was voice activated, and we managed to salvage part of the conversation from the day the petty officers were murdered."

Gibbs was impressed. That would be extremely helpful in figuring out what had transpired that day. He leaned in closer to see what Abby was doing. He was always awestruck with how shrewd she was. She made short work of any obstacle put in her path.

The audio played but it was extremely difficult to make out. It was badly garbled but Abby continued fiddling with the hertz persistently until suddenly the voices leaped out at them.

"Hear that, Gibbs?"

This time he did.

"So after the guy says Percy's name, Percy speaks…"

The raspy, garbled voice spoke, "I already told you my answer, Stratton, and I'm not changing my mind. Get the hell out of my house and leave my family alone!"

Gibbs perked up his ears hearing the gunshots that filled the air after that. Abby froze the audio and replayed it.

"Hear that?"

"Another voice!"

Aimee had told them that the intruder was alone, yet there was another adult male's voice heard in the room. Percy, Stratton and another voice. Abby turned to him with a celebratory smile spreading across her face.

"We've got voices and gunshots, Gibbs."

Gibbs had to admit Abby was good at what she did. She had singlehandedly managed to decipher something other scientists had been trying to figure out for days. Aimee had lied to them. There had been someone else in the room, but whom and why did Aimee feel the need to lie?

"You never fail to amaze me, Abbs," he commented with a smile, but then he shook a finger at her. "But that doesn't get you out of my bad books. What the hell were you thinking leaving the safe house when I told you to stay put?"

"Technically, you never told me to stay put; you told the agents to make sure I stayed put," pointed out Abby, looking sheepishly at him.

He rolled his eyes. "You're not getting off on a technicality, young lady."

Abby swallowed looking increasingly nervous.

Gibbs sighed, relenting. He didn't have the time to discuss it with Abby at the moment anyways.

"I need to go chat with Aimee, but this conversation isn't finished," he informed her, shooting her a piercing glance. "Don't leave NCIS without an escort. Promise me, Abbs. We've got Richter in custody."

Abby's eyes flew to his. He could see the frustration on her face. "Gibbs, you…"

He stepped close to her face. "Don't. Abbs. Just don't."

Abby closed her mouth and nodded.

Gibbs turned on his heel and left the lab.


	11. Chapter 11

_**A/N**_

 _ **Thanks so much for all the lovely reviews for my last chapter. I was beginning to feel like my story wasn't any good, but my faith was renewed. Thanks! As long as you let me know your reading along, it will inspire me to keep posting new chapters. I've got quite a few written and know where the plot is headed...just takes me awhile to edit them and keep my eyes open to do it. LOL**_

 _ **Anyways, here is the next chapter for your perusal. Hope you enjoy. Probably my most favourite aspect of writing is the interactions between Gibbs and the kids. I love his character with kids on the show. He can be a gruff SOB but when it comes to kids, he's a pussy cat.**_

Gibbs rounded the corner towards the bullpen and stopped suddenly to take in the scene before him. A smile played on his lips when he saw Janessa stretched out across the floor stringing paperclips together with a large grin spread across her face. She was happily singing away to herself, completely oblivious to everyone around her surrounded by hundreds of colourful clips. McGee was diligently working at his desk, but every now and then Gibbs saw him steal a glimpse at the little girl lying on her stomach in front of his desk. It was amazing how much joy the little pixy was bringing to them all despite the grave circumstances surrounding her presence. In the far left corner, Tony was absorbed in his work, for once not goofing off which was unusual for the resident prankster. More times than not, Gibbs precise timing seemed to catch Tony saying or doing something inappropriate. Most times it was humorous, except when it wasn't. But Gibbs didn't him as a shirker, despite his goofy demeanor. It was very much the contrary. Tony excelled at his job which was why Gibbs trusted him completely as his second in command. It was no secret to Gibbs that Tony had passed up on more than one promotion to stay on his team. That knowledge wasn't lost on him. Tony was a remarkable agent in every way that counted. Gibbs trusted him with his life. And, if truth be told, Gibbs enjoyed the humour that Tony brought to the team. Most of the time.

Directly to his left, Gibbs noticed Aimee dangling off Ziva's lap playing at something on her monitor. Gibbs wasn't surprised to see how comfortable Ziva was with the child. He'd always pegged her as being far more maternal than she let on. Ziva was very good at putting up walls to keep people out, but Gibbs saw right past them. Ziva had been through a lot in her young life and much of those traumatic experiences had made who she was. But deep down, Ziva was much more than she outwardly displayed. Aimee's laughter rang out across the room and Gibbs couldn't help but smile at the sound. Perhaps, Ziva was a good candidate to reach Aimee's wounded soul. The two of them might very well be kindred spirits of some sort. Gibbs tucked that thought away for later. For now, he needed to get to the bottom of why Aimee was withholding information from them. Who would she feel the need to protect? And why?

Gibbs dropped his shoulders in determination and finished his trek to his corner of the bullpen. He'd barely stepped a foot into view when Janessa jumped to her feet and barrelled into him at full speed.

"Gibbs, Gibbs, look what I made for you!"

The little blonde-haired jumping bean launched herself into his arms attempting to string a paperclip necklace around his neck with a giggle. Gibbs just barely managed to catch her and rescue himself from choking to death on the colourful wire creation. He hoisted her up with one arm, laughing at her exuberance and admiring her gift around his neck.

"McGee told me that you used to be a marine," she said with awe in her voice. "So I made you one that is camera flogged. That way no one can see it but you," She leaned in closer to his ear and whispered, "It will be our secret, okay?"

Gibbs smirked. "Camera flogged?"

McGee stood up and approached them attempting to peel the little girl off him.

"I think she means camouflaged, Boss."

Janessa clung on to Gibbs tightly. "That's what I said, McGee. Camera flogged," she repeated. She pointed towards McGee's paperclip chain. "Look, I made McGee a blue one with yellow, and I'm making Ziva a purple and pink one…"

Gibbs planted a kiss on her cheek interrupting her spiel and sliding her to the floor. He stooped to her level and tickled her sides affectionately. "Wow, little miss, you have been busy. Thanks for the necklace. Camera flogged is my favourite colour. How did ya know?" Gibbs reached for the chain and tucked it in his shirt with a wink. "Our secret."

Janessa giggled and plopped onto the floor once more. "Do you gots anymore paperclips, Gibbs? I'm running out of the pink ones," she said looking up at him.

Gibbs chuckled as he gently poked at all the pink clips fastened to her hair. She had about four or five pink clipped necklaces around her neck, as well as several more on both her wrists as bracelets. Who knew that paperclips could be so fascinating? He'd forgotten how wonderfully delightful little girls could be. "I think you've cleaned out all of NCIS, Nessa, but McGee can check for ya."

"Yah, I'm sure someone somewhere has more paperclips hiding," muttered McGee in a pained voice made Gibbs laugh again. The little paperclip monster had obviously managed to commandeer thousands of the clips already, and Gibbs had a feeling that McGee had already been collecting the little gems for hours.

"Might have to make a trip to the stationary store, Tim," teased Gibbs.

Tim groaned, rolling his eyes and returning to his desk.

"Got anything new for me, McGee?"

Tim looked up and shook his head. "Sorry, Boss, still working on some leads but nothing concrete yet."

The smile left Gibbs face as discouragement settled into his gut. The only positive thing he could cling to was the fact that there hadn't been any other attacks recently. Gibbs could only hope that the occurrences were a fluke, but his intuition was screaming at him otherwise.

"Boss."

Tony's voice resonated across the room as the dark-haired man stood to his feet with a look of fatigue on his face.

"I've managed to narrow down several people by the name of Stratton that Jonathan Percy might have had contact with." Tony brought up some images on the large screen. Two of the men were navy personnel.

"The one to your right is Lance Corporal Trevor Stratton. Stratton and Percy were high school chums. Little nugget to store away for interest sake is that Stratton and Percy had a falling out in high school over the missus."

"Stratton dated Rebecca Percy?"

Tony nodded with a playful grin. "Apparently the two of them had more than one fist to cuffs in high school over Rebecca. Looks like Percy won the hand of the lovely maiden and the two men remained enemies after graduation. Other officers said the two of them hated each other and had irreconcilable differences."

"What about this guy?" said Gibbs, pointing to the other image.

"Commander Philip Stratton the third. Second generation Navy. Percy and Stratton were drinking buddies and could often be found together downing several refreshments at the local watering hole. Can't find any reason why Stratton would want Percy dead, though. Neither Stratton seems to have any connection with MS-13 that we can see. McGoogle is working on it."

Gibbs continued to stare at the two men on the screen.

"Bring 'em both in, DiNozzo and let's see what they know."

Tony nodded. "Sure, Boss."

Gibbs looked towards Ziva and Aimee, debating on whether he wanted to talk to the little girl alone or if he wanted to enlist Ziva as his backup. He felt fairly confident in his skills to communicate with kids, but he really liked how Aimee was connecting with Ziva. Maybe if Abby wasn't the one the little girl would bond with perhaps Ziva might be his ticket. It wasn't that he was trying to pawn the child off on someone else, he just felt it was better that she have a female companion rather than a grouchy old marine.

"Come with me, Ziva," called Tony, casting a glance over his shoulder at Gibbs. Gibbs sighed silently and nodded. It was better for Tony to have the backup, he decided. He could handle having a chat with Aimee on his own for now.

Ziva stood up and grabbed her gear while Aimee continued playing on her computer, still giggling at whatever she was doing.

"Aimee and I have been playing Webkinz, Gibbs," explained Ziva.

Gibbs raised his brows feeling a little like a fish out of water. He really had no clue what games kids played these days. In his day, kids played monopoly and twister. He didn't even know what online sites were safe for kids and what wasn't. He'd need to brush up on his online parenting skills before he'd be useful in that respect. Gibbs groaned at the thought. He wasn't sure if he was ready to deal with all that nonsense. He was too old. He didn't even like his computer at work and regularly beat on the contraption while McGee scurried behind him trying to pick up the pieces, literally. He certainly didn't own a computer at home. He had no need for one. Hell, he still insisted on having a flip phone with no texting capabilities. He hated all technology and it revolted against him. It was a happy relationship.

"Web what?" he muttered.

He saw Ziva smirk at him with just a little too much zeal. He walked towards her and playfully swatted at the back of her head, missing and brushing her thick hair into her eyes. She laughed and gave him a spirited shove in return as she shimmied by him.

"You are losing your edge, Gibbs," she said with a smirk.

"Wise Ass. Get outta here!"

Tony and Ziva disappeared together and Gibbs turned to look at Aimee, who was still absorbed in her online game. He walked up behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder. She turned to look at him a moment and then frowned.

"You look funny," she said.

"Funny how?"

"Like you got something to say."

She spun around on the chair and looked up at him as he lowered himself to her level. His eyes twinkled kindly as he looked at her.

"Well, I found something out when I was with Abby in her lab, and I need your help to figure it out."

Her eyes lit up. "You found Abby?"

Gibbs smiled. "Yep, I did." Aimee slid off the chair happily. "Good job, Gibbs. Can I go see her lab? She told me that she has a farting hippo in there."

He couldn't help but laugh out loud at her words. Leave it to Abby to tease the kid like that.

"I tell ya what, I'll take you to see Bert after you and I have a little chat. How does that sound?"

She looked at him questionably. "Who's Bert?"

"Abby's hippo."

"Oh."

Aimee looked like she was considering his request and then suddenly poked her lip out into a pout. "Am I in trouble?"

"Why would you think that?"

Aimee took a deep breath and shrugged her shoulders in uncertainty but didn't answer his question.

"So, how about it? You willing to chat with me some more about what happened at your house? There might even be ice cream in the deal," said Gibbs, lifting a brow.

Aimee licked her bottom lip, sucking it into her mouth until it disappeared between her teeth. She squirmed a little and then nodded her agreement.

"Oh, alright."

"Good. I have the perfect place."

Gibbs reached out his hand and Aimee took it hesitantly. The two of them walked towards the elevator together in silence.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Gibbs handed Aimee a strawberry ice cream cone, and together they sat down on the picnic table in the park near the Navy Yard. The quaint little park was surprisingly empty for that time of day. Gibbs didn't give it much thought though as things changed abruptly quite often depending on when families were deployed. Sometimes there weren't any families with children living close by so the park remained vacant, and today just happened to be one of those times. But the ice cream vendor was surprisingly persistent and always showed up just in case.

Aimee licked her cone quietly for a few minutes before she spoke.

"Are mad at Abby?"

Gibbs licked his cone thoughtfully, wondering why she'd ask him that.

"What makes you think that I am?"

She shrugged. "I dunno."

"I'm not mad at Abby, just worried. I told her to stay at the safe house with you and Janessa, but she left without telling me. I was worried about her like I was worried about you. Can't keep you safe if I don't know where you are."

"I guess that makes sense."

"How's the ice cream?"

"Good."

Gibbs licked his lips thoughtfully and wiped the sticky residue from around his mouth as he looked down at Aimee's ice cream cone dripping over her hands. He smirked as he watched her try to keep the cone from collapsing onto the ground. She took a very large bite as a recovery tactic.

"When I found Abby in her lab, she found out something that I thought you might find very interesting."

Aimee stopped eating her ice cream and shivered suddenly as she looked up at him in apparent distress.

"Brain freeze?" guessed Gibbs as he watched her grimace for a moment.

Aimee nodded while staring at him helplessly for a few more seconds, tears flooding her eyes. Gibbs reached out and caressed her back, rubbing circles on her back.

"Relax, sweetheart, it'll pass," he assured her. "Next time don't' take such a big bite."

Gibbs continued rubbing her back as the little girl struggled through the uncomfortable sensation. After a few seconds, she relaxed once again.

"Better?"

Aimee nodded and began to slowly lick at her cone again.

Gibbs decided it was time to get down to business.

"One of your toys was voice activated, and it recorded some of the conversation between the masked man and your dad."

Aimee's eyes grew large. "Oh," she whispered.

"It also picked up another voice."

Gibbs watched the little girl drop her head to her chest.

"Aimee, was there someone else with you and your dad in the room besides the bad masked man?"

Aimee kept quiet, dropping her cone onto the ground. Gibbs slipped off the seat of the picnic table and squatted down in front of the little girl. His cobalt eyes peered into her sky blue eyes that had filled with tears.

"Aims?" he prodded gently.

Aimee fidgeted. "Nobody else was there."

Gibbs reached out and pulled her chin up so they were looking at each other eye to eye.

"Honour Bright?"

"What's that?"

"It means you promise that you're telling the truth."

"I am."

"Are you?" asked Gibbs rising to his full height and stretching out his back.

Aimee hesitated for a moment but then nodded. Gibbs knew by looking at her that she was not telling him the entire truth. He sat back on the table and continued eating the rest of his ice cream cone thoughtfully, trying to figure out how he was going to convince Aimee to tell him the truth. After a few minutes, he cleared his throat and tossed the rest of the frozen treat into the garbage beside the table.

"Got a story to tell ya."

Gibbs sat back down on the table and leaned an elbow on his knee while turning to look at her.

Aimee perked up a little and leaned in closer to his side.

"When my kid was your age…"

Her eyes widened in surprise. "You got kids?"

"Yep, a cute girl just like you." He poked her nose with his finger playfully. He didn't feel the need to go into detail about his daughter being dead. It wasn't information she needed to know. "When she was around your age, she got into some trouble."

"What kind of trouble?"

"Well, her friend, Maggie and she stole some candy from the corner store."

Aimee's eyes remained open wide in great interest.

"Did you find out?"

"Not right away. I caught them outside eating it, but my daughter, Kelly, said that Maggie's mom had given it to them. Later that night, Kelly got a tummy ache and was sick to her stomach. It was then that she confessed to stealing the candy. Her conscience was bothering her so much that her stomach was aching from guilt."

Aimee dropped her chin again.

Gibbs continued his story. "Lying has a way of eating at your conscience and making you feel awful…"

"Were you mad her?"

"I was disappointed that she lied to me, but no, I wasn't mad at her, upset maybe, but never mad. I loved her, but it did hurt my feelings that she didn't tell me the truth. You see, when you tell a lie, it means that you don't think the other person is important enough to know the truth."

Gibbs could see the gears turning in Aimee's head as she listened to his story. Gibbs sighed, staring straight ahead while wringing his hands in sorrow over the memory. He didn't like remembering the unhappy times with his daughter. He preferred to dwell on the more pleasant memories that they had together.

"And well, cuz I'm her dad," he continued. "I had to do a very unpleasant thing. She needed to learn that lying is never okay so I had to punish her."

Aimee worried her lip as tears escaped down her cheeks. Gibbs grabbed her chin in his rough hand and turned it towards him.

"I'm not your dad, Aims, so it's not my job to set you straight, but you need to tell me the truth. It's important. My gut tells me you're lying to me. The toy proves you're lying to me."

Aimee yanked her chin away and slipped to her feet, placing her hands on her hips, belligerence filling her face.

"No one else was there!" she screamed at him.

Gibbs grabbed her forearms firmly and gave her a stern shake, not hard enough to hurt her, but enough to show her that he was losing patience with her.

"Yes, there was! Who was there, Aimee? Who are you trying to protect?"

"No one!"

He shook her again, lowering his voice. "Who else was there, Aimee?"

Her eyes flashed anger mixed with fear. He narrowed his eyes at her maintaining his firm glare. He didn't feel good about intimidating a nine-year-old child, but he knew she had information that he needed and he just didn't know how else to make her confess what she knew. He could feel her trembling beneath his fingertips. Gibbs couldn't tell if he was scaring her or if her memories were doing the job for him. He continued to stare unwaveringly into her light blue orbs. Aimee didn't drop her gaze but glared defiantly right back at him. Just as Gibbs was about to speak to her again, he felt his cell phone vibrate in his back pocket. Gibbs closed his eyes in annoyance. Couldn't have been worse timing, he groaned to himself. Keeping one hand on Aimee's arm while still crouching at her level, he grabbed his phone and flipped it open.

"Yah, Gibbs," he growled at the person who dared interrupt him during his 'interrogation.'

"Gibbs, Gibbs, Gibbs," shouted Abby's voice over his cell. Gibbs needed to pull the phone from his ears to rescue his eardrums from her enthusiastic voice.

"What is it, Abbs?"

"I figured something out, Gibbs."

Gibbs furrowed a brow as he looked up towards Aimee. He could see her listening in as well. Abby's voice was loud enough for both of them to hear loud and clear.

"What Abbs?" he said, hearing her mumbled to someone in the background.

"I can't tell you just yet. I need to check out my hunch first, but hang tight, oh wise and faithful leader…"

Gibbs heard a car horn in the distance, and his stomach lurched as it dawned on him that Abby wasn't in her lab calling him.

"Abby, where are you?"

"I'm on my way to the Percy's place, Gibbs. If my hunch is correct…"

"Abby!" Gibbs shouted into his phone in exasperation. "I told you not to leave the Navy yard."

"No, you said not to leave without an escort and I didn't. McGee is with me."

Gibbs sucked in a deep breath and held it for several seconds, counting in his head to calm himself down. He slowly puffed out his lips while rising to his full height. He looked down at Aimee as he dropped his hand to his side and raked his other hand through his silver hair, resting it on top of his head. He felt like he was in some kind of alternative reality all of a sudden. Why was it that no one was cooperating with him today? He didn't even want to reflect on how many altercations he had had in one day and it wasn't even nearly half over.

"Abby, you're not an agent, for Pete's sake. What would possess you to go out and check out a lead? For crying out loud, that's my job!" And why on earth would McGee go along with it?

Gibbs listened for her response but instead he heard a sharp screech of tires and a shrill scream.

"McGee! Look out!"

"Abby?" he shouted taking a few steps forward. "Abby, answer me!"

He was greeted with dead air. He dropped his arm to his side as panic began to set in. He looked back behind him to where he had left Aimee and she stood there holding something out towards him. He looked closer to see a cell phone in her hands.

"Whose is that?" he asked, taking a deep breath to calm his nerves.

"My mom's." She fidgeted a little and then spoke again. "I took it and she didn't know."

Gibbs held up a hand to stop her, grabbing his own cell and placing a call to Tony. He let his second in command know what he'd heard while talking with Abby and instructed him to find out what happened. Gibbs did what he could to swallow the panic rising up within him. He couldn't go running off half-cocked. He needed to keep his wits about him. Tony would find Abby and McGee, and they would be fine, he assured himself. Then, later, when he got his hands on them, they would not be so fine. He flipped his phone shut and pulled Aimee over to the picnic table, pinning her between his knees as he held fast to her wrists.

"Why do you have your mom's cell phone."

"I like to play Nano pets. You can talk to other people who play."

"Like your friends?"

She nodded. "And other people too."

"Other people as in strangers?  
Aimee nodded as tears began to fall down her cheeks. Gibbs could feel her pulse racing in her wrists under his fingertips.

"Who else was at your house that day, Aimee?" His gut didn't want to know the answer.

Aimee chewed her lip and Gibbs reach out and pulled her lip free from her teeth.

"One of your stranger friends?"

She nodded.

"Who?"

"My friend. He said he'd bring me some stuffed Nano pets if I told him my address. They cost a lot of money and I only have one," she explained. Gibbs nodded his understanding.

"I told him my address and he showed up. He knocked on the door, and I let him inside just as daddy came in the room." Aimee hesitated as she choked back a hitched sob.

Gibbs enveloped her tiny hands in hers, fiddling with her fingers.

"What happened next?"

"The bad man came in behind him and shot my daddy."

"What did your friend do?"

"He tried to grab me, but daddy jumped at him and hit him. Then the bad man shot at him again. They started yelling at each other and saying bad words. Then mommy came home with Sarah and Janessa."

Gibbs put a finger to her lips to stop her from saying anything else. He didn't need her to relive any more of that scenario. The scene was already burned forever in both their minds.

"What happened to your friend after that, Aimee?"

Aimee blinked back more tears. "I dunno."

Gibbs reached for the cell phone in her hands while still looking intensely at her.

"Have you talked to him lately?"

Aimee's eyes widened and she started to shake her head no.

Gibbs lifted her chin. "Don't lie to me."

Her eyes lit up at the command and Gibbs silently berated himself at challenging her. He was beginning to discover that Aimee did not like to be told what to do. She yanked herself free of Gibb's grip on her and backed away. Just as Gibbs rose to grasp her arm again, she took off running towards the road. Gibb's heart jumped to his throat when he saw her dart out onto the road without looking just as a car rounded the corner.


	12. Chapter 12

Gibbs instincts took over at that point; everything becoming a blur. Time seemed to stop as his adrenaline kicked in. Before he realised it, he was running at high speed towards Aimee grabbing her around her waist, putting himself between the car and her just as the vehicle made contact. He cried out in pain as he felt the vehicle smack harshly into his side. He heard the squealing of the breaks but his focus remained solely on keeping Aimee safe. Thankfully, the driver's quick reflexes brought the car to a quick halt. Not quick enough to prevent it from plowing into him, though. Gibb was bruised but he wasn't seriously injured. His grateful eyes met the driver's shocked ones and then he dared to breathe deeply again, his heart pounding a heavy metal beat in his chest. The quick reaction of both Gibbs and the driver had saved Aimee from certain injury. Gibbs felt sure that if the car had struck Aimee with the same force it did him, she would have been seriously injured or worse. Gibbs felt his knees give out beneath him, and he collapsed to the ground with Aimee still in his arms. He could feel her accelerated pulse hammering against his wrist as he attempted to calm his own.

The driver scurried to their side, placing a hand on Gibbs' shoulder; his face pale.

"Oh god, I'm so sorry! I didn't see her! She came outta nowhere. I'm so sorry!"

The driver kept apologising while Gibbs sat on the ground, his head spinning as he tried to make sense out of what had happened. He didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He felt completely numb.

"Is she hurt? Are you hurt? I'm so sorry!"

Gibbs felt his heart rate slowly come under control once more as he looked down at the little girl in his arms. Her pupils were enlarged, her lips white with fear, and he could feel her trembling. She'd definitely received a jolt, but she wasn't injured. He released the tight grip on her waist long enough to spin her around and pull her into a comforting embrace. Hot tears stung the back of his eyes as he pressed a kiss to her head.

"She's fine," he managed to choke out, not sure who he was trying to convince more, himself or the driver. "You're safe, Aims. I've got you!"

Gibbs looked up at the ashen-faced man towering over him. If it were possible to look green and white at the same time, the man leaning over him looked just like that. Gibbs swallowed and shakily forced himself to his feet with Aimee still in his arms. His heart was still racing, and every breath he took hurt. He grimaced as he attempted to stand to his feet. Yup, that impact was definitely going to leave a bruise, he thought. The car hadn't hit him full force, but it had certainly made a lasting impression. Gibbs felt the man beside him support him as he gained his feet once more.

"You're hurt!" said the man, once again mumbling apologies.

Gibbs shook his head confidently but welcomed the extra support as he gained his balance. He was too stubborn to admit any injury but instead reached into his coat pocket and pulled out his badge as a quick way to introduce himself.

"I'm Agent Gibbs of NCIS," he explained, his voice sounding unsteady in his ears. He nodded in the direction of the building behind him. "Go to security and ask for Director Jennifer Shepard. Tell her what happened."

The man nodded but looked hesitantly at him.

"You sure you're okay?"

Gibbs leaned against the car's bumper and nodded. He could feel his whole body trembling as he recognised that he was going into shock. He could only imagine what he looked like to the man staring at him but the guy spun on his heel anyways and dashed towards NCIS's main entrance. Gibbs sat still holding Aimee in his arms, catching his breath and willing his adrenaline to stop pumping. He'd been through a hell of a lot worse in his time and now was not the time for his body to let him down. He wasn't going to let himself lose his edge right now, not while Aimee still needed him. He felt Aimee squirm in his arms and he slowly released his iron grip on her. She pulled away and looked up at him with big eyes.

"Are you okay?" he asked her, his cobalt blue eyes searching her up and down for any signs of injury he might have missed before.

She nodded but Gibbs could see she was still as shaken up as he was. He scooped her up into his arms again, ignoring the jabbing pain in his side while listening to her heart rate slow and feeling her body relax while giving himself time to gain his equilibrium as well. Gibbs carefully regained his footing, limping painfully towards a nearby curb to remove them both safely from any more traffic that might happen along. Then he sat on the curb, giving her a stern but poignant look and at the same time pinning her between his knees. Then, out of fear and frustration while knowing he probably shouldn't, he turned her sideways and landed several sharp swats to her backside. He knew he didn't have the right but, at that moment, he didn't care. She'd almost been killed under his watch. He felt responsible, stricken by guilt and regret.

"You scared me half to death, Aimee Percy," he scolded turning her to face him again.

He found himself wishing he knew her middle name. Parents always used kid's first and middle names when they were in trouble. He'd always done it with his daughter. Kelly Ann Gibbs, he'd say in a stern voice, and she knew he meant business. The middle name just sealed the deal. It seemed to underscore the gravity of the situation. His vision blurred and he blinked the tears back.

"That car could have killed you! What were you thinking running across the road like that?" He gave her a firm shake.

Aimee's eyes widened as tears sprang to her eyes. Gibbs could see her processing the situation and that her brain had caught up to what had just happened to her. Tears fell down her cheeks as she opened her mouth to answer but no words came out.

He shook her again. "Don't you ever do anything so stupid again! Do you hear me?"

Aimee stuck out her lip in a pout as the tears cascaded down her cheeks, and then she broke down into sobs. Gibbs immediately felt pangs of guilt for his actions and pulled her into a warm embrace. He tucked her head under his chin closing his eyes and thanking all that was good and holy that she hadn't been hurt.

"You're okay," he muttered again. "You're safe."

"I'm s-sorry," she sobbed.

He felt her whole body convulsing in his arms as she sobbed heavy tears of what he hoped was fear and regret. He held her tightly, kissing the top of her head over and over and rocking her back and forth. That was how Jenny Shephard found them.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Several hours later Gibbs found himself sitting in autopsy being fussed over by Ducky. Jenny was standing beside him with her arms crossed in front of her, looking concerned. After the shock wore off, Gibbs discovered just how hard he'd been hit both physically and emotionally. There wasn't one part of his body that didn't ache. Listening to Ducky ramble on about every autopsy he'd ever done on victims hit by cars make his head feel like it was going to implode until he finally held up his hands in surrender.

"Will I live, Duck?"

Ducky stopped talking and smiled genteelly. "Of course, Jethro. Other than the obvious lacerations and contusions that you will no doubt be feeling for several days, you'll be just fine."

"Aimee?"

Jenny spoke up as she placed a gentle hand on his arm. "She's a little shook up, but other than that she'll be okay. I left her and Janessa with Cynthia."

"She's fine, Jethro," assured Ducky.

Gibbs nodded his head, relief washing over him once more. He was having a difficult time remembering even coming down to autopsy. He'd been so rattled. He had a vague recollection of Ducky giving Aimee a quick once over before insisting that Gibbs go with him for a more thorough check-up. It was disconcerting to him how something that seemed inconsequential had thrown him so off keel. He'd rescued Aimee, and she was safe. Why was he still shaking? Hell, he was a trained marine for Pete's sake. Once a marine, always a marine. He'd been shot, beaten and worse over his lifetime yet, for some reason, being bumped by a car had tossed him on his ass. He was a navy criminal investigating secret agent, for crying out loud; he risked his life daily battling brutal odds, and he hardly thought to blink an eye at the peril. What was it about kids that brought him to his damned knees? It felt like he took leave of his senses whenever kids were involved.

"Jethro?" said Jenny, her green eyes piercing him in concern.

Ducky continued to stare at him as well as Gibbs grimaced and groaned. He slipped off the metal examining table and made short work out of fastening the buttons on his dress shirt. Gibbs sighed in frustration pushing his self-defeating thoughts as far from his mind as possible.

"Aimee's been targeted by some kind of online predator, Jenn."

Jenny gasped. "How do you know that?"

"She told me how she gave out her address and some pervert showed up at her house at the same time the murderer was there. The guy was either part of the slaughter or got more than he bargained for," continued Gibbs as he finished tucking in his dress shirt.

"She's so damned stubborn! She took off when I tried to get her to talk more about it. My gut says there is a lot more she isn't telling us." He ran a shaky hand through his hair. "The car came out of nowhere. She never saw it coming."

"The driver was incredibly upset."

"I know the feeling," muttered Gibbs. "Are you sure Aimee's okay? I…uh… kinda smacked her," admitted Gibbs, feeling guilt wash over him. "I was just so damned…" Gibbs hesitated not knowing what he felt anymore.

Jenny smirked at him. "Scared?" finished Jenn.

Gibbs blinked several times at the words and was slammed in the face with the reality of just how frightened he'd really been by the whole incident. He couldn't bear to lose another child. Any child.

Ducky and Jenny both continued staring at him.

"What?" asked Gibbs, throwing his hands up in consternation.

"No one can fault you for your reaction, Jethro," said Jenny, stepping closer to him and picking invisible lint off his shirt while patting his chest tenderly. Gibbs was aware of how well Jenny knew him. He was damned good at guilt. He was so good in fact that he could drown in it sometimes.

"Go home, Jethro. Get some rest. Take the girls with you, eat a nutritious meal, watch some t.v. and relax," suggested Ducky.

Gibbs narrowed his eyes slightly as he turned to face Ducky with an incredulous look crossing his face.

"Did ya forget that my house was shot up, Duck?"

"Go someplace else then. For Pity sakes, Jethro, you were just hit by a moving vehicle. You need some time to digest that."

Gibbs straightened his shirt and placed a hand on his good friend's shoulder.

"Thanks for your concern, old friend, but I'm fine. Aimee is safe and that's all that matters."

"Very well, Jethro."

Gibbs ran a still shaky hand through his short, silvery hair, contorting his face at the pain that shot through his side. Damn, he thought, that hurts a whole hell of a lot. Gibbs felt Ducky's hand on his arm, and he turned to see the older man offer him a sympathetic smile.

Gibbs turned to Jenny with a strained expression on his face. It was time to take the focus off of him and place it elsewhere.

"Heard anything from Abby?"

Jenny linked her arm in his and helped Gibbs to a nearby chair, forcing him to sit down.

"Tony called and said that Abby and Tim are on their way back to the Navy Yard. I'm not sure exactly why Abby was poking around at a crime scene…"

"She called me to say she had a hunch about something."

Jenny narrowed her eyes looking as unimpressed as he felt. "And that gives her permission to go out to a crime scene?"

"Hell, no, and when I get my hands on her-"

"Oh, Jethro, we all know how precocious Abigail can be," said Ducky in an attempt to come to her defense.

"We were cut off, Jenn. Are they okay?"

Jenny crossed her arms with a sigh and nodded. "Apparently an animal ran out in front of their vehicle and Tim swerved to miss it. They went off-roading into a curb, but they're fine."

"They won't be when I get my hands on them," muttered Gibbs under his breath.

Jenny stared at Gibbs for a moment and finally dropped her hands to her sides.

"Ducky's right, Jethro, you should really get some rest. But since I know you, I know you're going to stubbornly keep working. Just promise me that you'll take it easy for the rest of today."

Gibbs stood to his feet with a groan, casting a half smirk at her.

"No promises, Jenn."

With those final words, Gibbs limped towards the outer door and disappeared.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Aimee looked at Director Shepard's secretary, Cynthia, cuddling Janessa on her lap. Nessa looked sleepy as she leaned against the kind woman. Aimee felt a tinge of jealousy, a part of her wishing she was small like Nessa and that someone would hold her like that. Like Gibbs had. It had felt so nice to be held like someone cared. Sometimes she thought she could hate her sister for being so much smaller, cuter and more pleasant, but deep down Aimee couldn't. Janessa was too sweet and lovable to hate plus she couldn't help being so endearing to adults. It just was the way she was. Aimee, on the other hand, wasn't cute and endearing. Most of the time, she just made stupid mistakes and did dumb things that made everyone angry. Perhaps in the beginning after her mom married Jonathan, her mom might have loved her but, later after Sarah was born, she stopped loving her and started yelling. And Jonathan did worse than that. Maybe it was because Aimee never forgot who her real daddy was and Jonathan didn't like that.

Janessa didn't remember because she had been so little and she was just so good all the time. Aimee was never good, certainly not good enough for Jonathan. Oh, but she wasn't supposed to call him that because no one was supposed to know that he wasn't really her daddy. Her mom had made her promise to never mention her real daddy to anyone. Her mom was happy again. She told Aimee not cause any trouble and behave herself so that Jonathan would want to stay and take care of them. Not like her real father who had long since abandoned them.

After a while, her mom stopped seeing her as anything but a pain and a disruption bent on ruining all that was good in her life. She only saw Jonathan as being good and he made their family perfect. They kept moving around so much that Aimee didn't get to make any friends or trust anyone. Soon her only friend was Andrew. No matter where they moved, she could always talk to Andrew. He told her that she was special and that someday he would come and get her so they could be a real family. But she had to keep Andrew a secret. She had to be sneaky to talk to him. She wasn't even a good speller, but Andrew always seemed to understand her. She told Andrew everything, and he promised that one day he would put a stop to everything and she would be safe again.

Aimee felt sad all the time and the sadder she became the more trouble she found. Her mom spent more time away at work, and Jonathan was supposed to teach them school but he didn't. Instead, he would drink a lot and play computer games. Aimee's job was to take care of Nessa and Sarah and make sure they didn't cry or bother him. Only that's hard to do that when you're only nine years old and can't even take care of yourself. Jonathan didn't even care whose fault it was when bad stuff happened. He just blamed Aimee and hurt her.

And he lied. Jonathan lied a lot.

Aimee took a lot of trips to the hospital in the last town they lived, but everyone believed it was because she was clumsy. Jonathan told everyone that she was. And everyone liked Jonathan. He was a good military dad who supported his wife so well allowing her to have a turn at her career while he stayed home with their little girls.

Yes, they were the perfect navy family. From the outside.

Aimee wiped a tear from her cheek as she continued to watch Janessa get cuddled. Aimee had a grumpy scowl on her face as she sat on the sofa with her arms crossed. She'd been sitting there since Director Shephard and the dead doctor man had told her to stay and rest. And Gibbs, the only one she thought she could trust, was hurt and mad at her.

So mad, in fact, that he had hit her making him no different from Jonathan.

Only Aimee knew he was different. He was trying to help find out who murdered her parents. Aimee wanted to know too but, at the same time, maybe a small part of her didn't miss them.

Except she did miss Sarah.

She saw the masked man shoot Jonathan. Everything had happened so quickly and then Andrew came too. She wanted so badly to go with him but then Jonathan ATTACKED at him and scared him away. When her family had moved to D.C., it had been such a hopeful time because Andrew lived there and he said he would rescue her.

He said he would love her.

Aimee just wanted someone to love her, to hold and cuddle her and make all the bad go away.

Aimee stood to her feet and cleared her throat just as she watched Janessa's eyes flutter and close. It would be a good time now to ask to go to the bathroom. She remembered where it was and she also remembered where Ziva left her phone. She'd seen it earlier on the counter in the ladies room. She also knew Ziva's password because Ziva had shown her.

"Are you feeling ok, Aimee," asked Cynthia, rocking Janessa back and forth on her lap.

"I have to pee."

"Do you remember where the restroom is?"

Bingo. Perfect timing. She doesn't want to disturb Janessa.

"I remember."

Cynthia looked uncertain. "Ok, then. Make sure you come straight back. No detours. I'm sure Agent Gibbs will be back soon with Dr. Mallard and Director Shepard to check up on you."

Aimee nodded and scooted out the door. She scurried to the bathroom, locking the door behind her. She smiled when she saw Ziva's phone still sitting on the counter. She punched in the password and looked for the store to download the app to talk to Andrew. As soon as she entered the Nano pet guestroom, she searched for Andrew's secret room. If he was online, his room would be open and only her pets could enter. A smile lit up her face when she saw his special icon flashing on the screen. She quickly dragged her finger across the display and was admitted to the room. Words popped up on her screen which made her stomach flip-flop.

"Where have you been?"

"NCIS," she typed.

"What did you tell them?"

"Nothing."

Aimee's heart began to race as she saw the pencil scribble furiously for several minutes. She could never see Andrew when they were chatting, she could just see his pencil.

"Run away, Aimee. You're in danger. Run away and contact me then. Don't come back until you're far away from NCIS."

"Why? What about Janessa?"

"Run. NOW!"

The pencil stopped. The room icon jiggled around a few times, and then Aimee's Nano pet was booted from the room. The secret room disappeared leaving her pet floating around in the game lobby, surrounded by 100's of other pets. Aimee stared at the screen for a few seconds before she closed the app and shut down the phone. She slipped the phone into her overall pocket and slipped out of the bathroom. She needed to find a way to escape.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

The elevator signaled its arrival at its destination and the doors flung open. Gibbs walked off the lift and headed into Abby's lab. He was on a mission to *throttle* talk to her and was rewarded to hear her and McGee's voice in the distance. Double his pleasure. Now he could kill two birds with one stone. As he rounded the corner and entered the lab, he saw McGee massaging Abby's shoulders looking rather sheepish.

"You better be sorry, McGee." He heard Abby say with a whine. "You could have killed that poor dog. Why don't you watch where you're going when you're driving?"

"It helps if I can see out the window, Abby, but _someone_ was blocking my view with her parasol."

Abby crossed her arms indignantly. "It was stuck, Timmy. I couldn't get it to close, and I didn't want it to break. I paid a lot of money for it. Do you know how hard it is to find a black, lace umbrella?"

Gibbs bit back a chuckle. He walked in and stood menacingly in front of his two "kids", crossing his arms. Abby's face brightened when she saw him and she flew into his arms seemingly oblivious to his ire.

"Gibbs, I'm so glad you're okay. Director Shepard told me what happened. You're a hero. Of course, you're always my hero."

Gibbs' face contorted in pain but he wrapped his arms around her as well. He was relieved she was safe too. He planted a kiss on top of her head and pushed her away. It was always hard for him to stay angry with Abby even when she drove him to distraction. But he needed her to know that she couldn't just run off on her own.

"What the hell do you think you're doing going out to a crime scene, Abby? You're not an agent." He pulled away from her and scowled at her; then he turned to glare at Tim. "McGee, what were you thinking? I know she bullies you into things, but I'd like to think that you can stand on your own damned feet and not let her push into doing things you know will piss me off."

Gibbs reached out and firmly smacked Tim upside the back of his head. The sudden movement sent shockwaves of pain shooting up Gibbs back and into his neck. He couldn't hide the grimace that crossed his face. Tim groaned as he rubbed the sting out.

Abby hugged Gibbs again, her face full of distress.

"Director Shepard said you weren't hurt badly, but you groaned when you hit Timmy. Are you really okay, Gibbs?"

Gibbs pulled away. "I'm fine, Abbs, just a little sore."

He patted her cheek affectionately, knowing that she'd be upset to know exactly how much pain he was really experiencing.

"Now stop stalling and answer my question. What possessed you to leave your lab when I expressly told you not to?"

Abby's face flushed but then spun on her heel over to her computer and pulled up something on the screen.

"I had good reasons, Gibbs, I promise. So, after you left, I kept playing around with the audio file on the toy. It's unbelievable, Gibbs, how long the activation on these things can last. I had no idea. You could say three or four Hail Mary's, recite the Lord's prayer and do your taxes, and it would still be recording."

Gibbs narrowed his eyes at her impatiently.

She caught his irritable look out of the corner of her eye. "Someone took a bite out of the crabby apple tree today," she commented.

Gibbs rolled his eyes at her. He wanted to do much worse but he was too sore to move and pretty much the only thing that didn't hurt at this point was his eyes.

"Abbs."

She quickly continued. "I kept rolling the tape backward until I came across this little segment."

Abby played the recording and Gibbs felt his heart jump into his throat. He heard yelling, screaming, smacking sounds and a girl crying.

"Is that…" began McGee, rising to his feet and joining them at the computer. "Is that what I think it is?"

"It gets much worse the further back I play the tape. Each time the creep smacked one of the girls, it was recorded in full graphic audio detail."

Abby further rolled back the tape and played it again. Gibbs' face paled as he listened closely to despicable things. His heart was in his throat as he thought of the two little girls up in Jenn's office. Their father had abused them horribly. Gibbs shook his head and raked his hand through his hair as he listened, finally reaching out and hitting the mute button when he couldn't take it anymore.

"I went to the Percy house to check for evidence, Gibbs. We looked at the crime scene from the standpoint of the murders, but there is a lot more we need to look for."

Gibbs swallowed and closed his eyes. This case just kept getting worse. Murdered petty officers, an international crime ring that up until now he'd only acknowledged as a teenage gang, a potential child predator and now child abuse? How on earth could it all be connected? Even his gut had nothing for him. He was used to following his gut but even it had a limit. Maybe Jenn and Ducky were right. Maybe he did need to go home and rest. He didn't even feel like he could put a coherent thought together anymore.

He turned to Abby once again, massaging a hand over his face. He still felt angry with her. She was making stupid decisions and he needed to know she wouldn't run around half-cocked getting herself in over her head. She was a scientist, not a damned trained agent. Why couldn't she figure that out on her own? He almost laughed at his own muse. This was Abby he was talking about. Abby didn't stop and think. Abby went on instinct.

"You're still aren't allowed to go out in the field, Abbs. That's my job!" he scolded her.

Abby had the good grace to look ashamed. Seeing her looking contrite allowed his temper to soften somewhat. He glanced over and McGee and sighed loudly.

"I ought to smack both your heads together." He groused at them.

"Boss, I'm sorry," began Tim just as his cell rang loudly.

Tim looked at Gibbs who nodded his approval. Tim answered quickly only to have his face turn even grim.

"Boss, it's Aimee. She's missing."

 _ **A/N So touched by all the reviews. I'm blurry-eyed and overworked but thought I'd drop another chapter off on my way to bed. It was a snow day here today so my house was a zoo. The kids wanted to decorate the Christmas tree (we're Canadian so Thanksgiving is long past). I survived yet another day, managed to edit another chapter for you and now I'm off to dreamland**_

 _ **Hope you enjoy it...I left you a bit of cliffhanger, but that's to make sure you keep checking back :)**_

 _ **Blessings xo**_


	13. Chapter 13

_**A/N**_

 _ **Yes, I'm still alive. Sleepy but alive. Just came back from a weekend away with the junior youth from my church. 20 giggling 10-12-year-olds that don't believe in sleeping either...Janessa fit in like the missing puzzle piece. Fun had by all! We played a disgusting game of twister with ketchup, relish, creamed corn and beans...my twister game will forever smell like creamed corn and beans...eww yuck. I had a little time to edit a section of the story so thought I'd post before I run off to teach my kiddos some school. then I think I need a nap by the fire. Zzzzzzzzzzzzz**_

 _ **Hope you are still reading along and enjoying the ride.**_

 _ **Many blessings to you all**_

 _ **xoxo**_

 _ **Jenny Wrens**_

Tony left Interrogation and entered the observation room beside it, closing the door just a little more loudly than necessary. Ziva stood staring at the haggard suspect through the glass, looking a little worse for wear. Hours of grueling questions with no answers.

"We've got nothing! Nada! Zilch!" grouched Tony, slamming a file on the table sounding as discouraged as she felt. "Just another freaking dead-end."

Ziva nodded. "Both men have alibis. There is no way they could have murdered the Percy family."

"Remind me again how MS-13 is connected in all this?"

Ziva looked at him incredulously. "Do you really need a reminder, or is this one of your open doors?"

Tony laughed at her skepticism, but he deserved it. He'd made it his goal in life to poke fun at her or otherwise trip her up, and she just wasn't in the mood for any of his silly games today.

"I'm serious, Ziva."

"Are you that tired, Tony?" She eyed him closely trying to discern if he was being as serious as he said he was. She saw the dark circles under his eyes and the fatigue in his gait as he walked closer to her. Maybe he was just a worn as she.

"It's been one dead end after another, Ziva. Gibbs is in over his head this time. Rule 10. He always quotes it but never follows it." Tony picked up the file that he slammed on the desk earlier. "Now I need to go and tell him that we have nothing."

"I seem to remember you breaking rule 10 on more than one occasion," she pointed out.

He dropped his head, acquiescing. "Touché. However, at least kids aren't my Achilles heel."

She frowned, unfamiliar with the saying. It wasn't usual. American idioms escaped her most of the time.

"Achilles heel?"

He smirked. "You know, the guy who was struck in the heel and killed?"

A blank expression remained on her face.

Tony waved his hand. "Never mind." He gestured towards the door. "Come back me up with Gibbs?"

She shook her head. "You are on your own."

Tony groaned, throwing her an irritated look. "Thanks a lot."

She smiled but ignored his frustration.

He left mumbling something about hoping she'd come to his funeral. Ziva leaned against the wall staring absently at the man still sitting in the interrogation room. He looked completely shell-shocked as he sat fidgeting nervously waiting for whatever was going to happen next. Ziva sighed feeling her own kind of discouragement. For every bright spot, there was always a shadow and there were days when her job hit just a little too close to home.

This was one of those times.

She'd never expected to be impacted so much by a child, but something about Aimee touched her soul. When Ziva looked into Aimee's eyes, she saw that same desperate darkness she felt as a child. She'd been too stubborn to allow life to break her, but it had scarred her expectations of what life could be like. She'd been a wary little fighter when she was nine years old too. Aimee seemed to be a fighter as well, and Ziva saw herself in the little girl. With the passing years, Ziva realised that she had gained an appreciation of life and the things that were to be treasured, but there remained part of her that listened to that "there is no hope" and resonated with it. She saw that dark sadness in Aimee too, and she didn't know why.

Ziva had a past so dark that it still made her flinch

But she was an adult now.

She had her job and a life expectancy that ensured she would never be issued a life insurance policy. It didn't seem fair that Aimee should feel the same despair at such a young age. At least Ziva had some kind of childhood before she became aware of what Mossad was really all about.

Ziva plunged a hand into her pocket as she walked towards the door. It hit her then that her cell phone was missing. She scrunched up her nose trying to remember where she might have left it. Earlier in the day she had released some pent up energy by jogging up and down several flights of stairs. Sure, it was a weird way to release tension, but she did what she could when she couldn't get space.

Perhaps her phone had fallen out of her pocket during the exercise.

Ziva left the room and headed for the closest stairwell. She slowly meandered down the stairs searching for signs of her phone. She couldn't actually remember where she'd started and ended her run. Her mind had been occupied. Gibbs wouldn't be pleased that she was unreachable should he decide he needed to speak with her. He'd already showed his displeasure earlier that morning when she had gone out in the field alone. Not that she faulted him for it. Gibbs was a bastard in a lot of ways, but he had a big heart. Ziva saw through his gruff treatment. She'd seen the other side of him plenty of times. Much of his public image was a show he put on to save face. Privately, he was very different. Ziva wished her father was half the man Gibbs was. Gibbs was the father she wished she'd had growing up. She'd likely be a very different person if she'd been raised by a man like Gibbs.

As she continued to look for her cell, her attention was drawn to an odd sound that she heard coming from above her. Switching directions, she took off back up the stairs in search of where the sound was coming from. As she ascended the stairs, it grew louder and she began to speculate on what she was hearing. It sounded like someone crying. A child? Why would a child be crying in the NCIS stairwell?

"Hello? Is someone there?" she called out, hoping to not startle whoever it was.

She listened for a response but none came. In fact, her voice seemed to halt the crying as well. Ziva listened closely, straining her ears to hear something. Her cat-like hearing picked up several hiccups as well as sniffles.

"Do not be frightened. It will be okay," she tried to reassure with her voice, making it soft and gentle.

Her eye caught movement and she was surprised to see Aimee curled up in a ball under the stairwell.

"Aimee?"

The child looked up from her lap; her face was flushed from crying.

Ziva went to her side and stooped down in front of her, reaching out to touch her knee gently but Aimee jerked away.

"Go away!" she half yelled, half sobbed.

"Aimee, what is wrong? Why are you here by yourself? I thought you were with Gibbs."

"He hates me!"

Ziva sat down, crisscrossing her legs and resting her head in her hands. She stared at the little girl, trying to see past the hurt and anger to what she was really trying to say. Ziva knew Gibbs. The man physically could not hate any child.

"Gibbs? That's impossible."

Aimee narrowed her eyes, opened her mouth and then closed it. She looked like she was at a loss for words, not expecting Ziva's response. Instead, she pulled her knees up tighter to her chest and glared at her.

"Why are you here by yourself? Where is Gibbs?"

"He was hit by a car!"

Ziva didn't react. She was accustomed to violence, death and being slapped in the face with horrific realities beyond her power. Yet, something in the little girl's voice didn't cast fear into her. Gibbs might have been hit but there was no way he was seriously injured. If he was, the small girl wouldn't be this angry. She looked like a fighter sizing up her opponent; that was Ziva's first impression, and she went with it, instinctively shifting her weight back. She was rewarded by Aimee visibly relaxing.

"He's hurt cuz of me. It's my fault and now he hates me."

The depth of emotion in her voice made Ziva realise that her instincts were correct. Gibbs wasn't injured badly. Aimee wasn't trying to hide what she was thinking. She just didn't know how to process it.

"Want to tell me what happened?"

Aimee's eyes darted up to Ziva's. Tears pooled in her eyes for a moment then followed the streaked path of their predecessors.

"No," she sobbed. "I have to run away. Andrew said so, and if I don't he won't talk to me anymore."

Ziva didn't understand. Who was Andrew? She couldn't resist reaching out and brushing the little girls' blonde hair out of her face. She was pleasantly surprised when the child didn't flinch and pull away. Something told Ziva that Aimee was fighting to keep herself distant and aloof when she really wanted to be held and protected. Ziva identified with that feeling. Her whole life, Ziva had just wanted to be held and feel safe. Ziva had lived a precarious childhood. Had Aimee or had she not? Aimee's responses were telling a very confusing story.

"Who is Andrew?"

"My friend. He loves me. He promised to come and get me. Gibbs made me tell, and I tried to run away. Now he's hurt and he'll hate me forever."

Ziva felt a faint smile brush across her lips. Aimee had been affected by Gibbs. His tenderness with children was his legacy. His sorrow over losing his own child had made him a champion for every child.

Ziva moved closer watching closely for the girl's response.

"It is not possible for Gibbs to hate children."

Aimee blinked back more tears but looked hopeful.

"You could have run away. Why did you stay?" asked Ziva, glancing down towards the exit which was plain to see from where they sat. "If Andrew told you to run away, why are you still here?"

She didn't know who Andrew was but she suspected it was someone the child trusted or she wouldn't have mentioned it. Ziva was confused but her knowledge of things had no bearing on the child's actions. The fact of the matter was Aimee could have disappeared out the door, never to be seen again without anyone even realising she was gone. Her sitting in the stairwell by herself was evidence of that. Frankly, Ziva was surprised that the child was that clever, but she probably shouldn't have been.

More tears escaped. "I dunno," she whispered. Confusion was written across her face.

"I think I do."

Aimee blinked.

"Gibbs."

Aimee chewed her lip.

"You like him, do you not?"

More tears traced the tracks on her cheeks, her expression giving a clear indication that she did.

"It is okay, you know. To like him, I mean. He is a likable guy. You can even trust him. He is pretty good at his job, and he is on your side. When I first started working for him, I was afraid he did not like me."

Aimee lifted her head and scrubbed at the tears on her face. "Why not?"

"One of his agents had died and he was really sad. I was afraid that he thought I was trying to replace her. He did not think that at all." Ziva felt tears burn in the back of her eyes at the memory of a conversation in the elevator when Gibbs had told her he trusted her. She would never forget that moment in her lifetime. "Gibbs is a kind man, Aimee," she continued, brushing the memory away. "He pretends to be gruff and grumpy, but we all know he is not. He could not hate you."

Aimee continued silently crying. Ziva's hand itched to wipe away her tears, understanding her uncertainty and fears of rejection. She let herself wipe at several tears on Aimee's face and was relieved to be rewarded with a shaky smile. Aimee backhanded her sleeve across her face.

"Do you believe me?" asked Ziva, hopeful.

Hope flickered in the young girl's eyes and Ziva went out on a limb, drawing the little girl into her chest in a warm embrace. It felt foreign to her to do it but she did not let go of the hug. Tears swam in her eyes when she felt the child willingly relax into her arms. Ziva didn't feel like she had any more words to help heal the pain she saw. It was a raw pain. It shouldn't have been something seen in one so young. Ziva hated the fragileness she saw. The little girl was coming apart at the seams, and they still didn't know everything she was hiding.

Ziva patted her back gently, pulling away. She smiled warmly at Aimee.

"Come on, let us go find Gibbs."

Aimee looked up at her, and under the weariness, Ziva saw something approaching defeat. It troubled her more than anything else she had seen in a long time. Ziva patted her hand encouragingly.

"It will be fine, I promise."

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Andrew paced across the room, scrubbing a hand across his face. His hands were shaking. Things had spiraled out of control. What was he thinking trusting Adderley? He was a friggin idiot too. Who knew what type of connections the imbecile had? How could he have been so damned desperate? How did he allow himself to stoop so low? What now? Was he just expected to wait around for a nine-year-old girl? He sure as hell couldn't go waltzing into NCIS and get her? Damn it. It had nearly killed him reading about what Percy was doing to her. He promised her he'd get her out, but she had to trust him. When he'd showed up at the house, all hell had broken loose. What the hell had Percy gotten him into? Obviously more than Andrew or even Adderley knew? Stratton wasn't playing with a full deck on the best of days from what he'd heard. The guy was a psychopath. Andrew's gut ached. Aimee had looked deathly gray when he'd arrived, desperately screaming at him to help her. The son of bitch Percy had already been shot by Stratton, dealing with his own demons yet the goddamned animal had still the audacity to attack him. Stratton was in no mood to deal with Andrew getting in the way. That was clear. He had his own agenda to fulfill and Andrew didn't want to be involved in it. He might have been a dirty cop but he didn't have a death wish. Aimee hadn't trusted him enough to run to him. Andrew couldn't blame her with seeing Percy shot in front of her. The whole situation was traumatic for the kid. As much as Andrew pleaded with her to come to him, she just stood frozen. Stratton said Andrew could have her. He had no reason not to. She didn't belong to Percy. She wasn't any part of the deal. Only Stratton had no idea just what the kid did know. Andrew knew and so did Adderley.

His cell phone vibrated in his pocket as he continued his nervous trek back and forth in his apartment.

"Yah, what do you want?" He kept his voice low for fear he would be heard.

"Did you get the kid?"

"Hell, no. How could I when that asshole Stratton was so fixated on his own obsession?"

"Leave Stratton to me," the voice growled on the other end of the line. Then the voice softened. "Is she safe, at least?"

Andrew nervously raked a hand through his hair. He felt like his head would explode from all the tension radiating over the line.

"She's with NCIS so I think so. She's away from that jackass, Percy, at least. I've been talking to the kid for almost year and the things she's told me turns my stomach."

The man on the other end of the phone let out a long drawn out sigh.

"It couldn't be helped, Andrew. The timing had to be right."

"I know. I don't have to like it, Adderley. I told her to run away from NCIS and contact me. The last thing I need is NCIS getting involved and implicating me with Stratton and his thugs."

"You won't; trust me."

Andrew laughed sardonically. "Trust you? You've used me for years. I want out. You make me do your dirty work and now you're holding a child over my head? Do you have any idea who Stratton is associated with? Do you want me to spell it out for you, you son of a-"

"Now, now, Andrew. Everything happens for reason." The voice changed to a more threatening tone. "Bring me the kid and then you're out."

Andrew disconnected his cell mumbling expletives under his breath.

A light flicked on in the other room and a melodic voice rang out from afar.

"Is there something the matter, sweetheart?"

Andrew scrubbed a hand over his face, setting his phone on the coffee table. He'd worked too hard over the past few years to provide for his family. He'd got caught up in something sinister quite by accident, and now he was doing everything within his power to get out. He just hated the fact that a child was involved. He was using his police skills to hone in on her, but there had been a few times he'd almost broken and gone after her. She was just a small child and none of what she knew was her fault. She was just an innocent. His paternal instincts wanted to protect her. Andrew hoped he'd be able to take her once Adderley had what he needed. Hell, the kid didn't even know she knew what she knew. Her mother hadn't known either. Screw Stratton for being such a heartless bastard. Andrew didn't care about Percy, but Rebecca and the baby? There had been no reason to torture and kill them. No reason in hell.

"No, Mel, everything's fine. Just a wrong number."

Andrew threw a silent prayer up into the air and turned towards his wife's voice. Perhaps a relaxing evening with her would help alleviate his ever existing headache.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Gibbs had to work hard to keep himself calm. He had reached a limit in himself. There wasn't a part of his body that didn't ache, he was past exhausted, he was frustrated and if he was to be completely honest with himself, he was heartsick. The little girls had chipped away at his gruff exterior and stolen his heart.

Especially Aimee. There was just something about her that shook him to his very core. She was just so damned wounded. And he had added to that hurt. He shouldn't have hit her. Particularly when he was so upset. He didn't even remember how hard he'd hit her. He'd made himself a promise a long time ago that he would never lay a hand on a child in anger. Except his paternal skills were beyond rusty these days. There was no doubt in his mind that he seriously sucked in that department.

Gibbs searched the nooks and crannies of the building, after ordering the building secured. Most of his staff as well as others, including Jenny, had joined in on the manhunt. They needed to find her quickly. It wasn't safe for her to be out alone and it had gotten dark since she'd gone missing. As he broached yet another level in the building and entered the hallway, he heard a familiar voice rush up behind him.

"Gibbs, Gibbs! Ziva found her!" announced his bright-eyed Goth with a smile on her face.

Gibbs felt his heart skip a beat in his chest. Somewhere along the way, Abby and he had formed some kind of supernatural connection of sorts. She always seemed to know where he was. He'd heard her say time and time again that his timing was impeccable. Right now, her timing was pristine, and he couldn't stop himself from planting a relieved kiss on her cheek. He had been close to losing his cool searching for the child, drowning in his own misery and guilt.

"Is she alright?"

"A little shaken up but other than that, she's okay."

"Where is she?" he asked as Abby melted into his arms.

As he returned her embrace, he could sense that she still felt her own estrangement from him. He didn't like the insecurity that he saw in her. He needed to have a talk with her soon and rectify things between them. He just couldn't find the right words, and it frustrated the hell out him. He hated that he sucked at communicating. And really it was more than that. Abby just didn't understand how complicated things were and just how serious he was about keeping her safe. Somehow he had to make himself clear to her without pissing her off so much that she would rebel against him. On a personal level, he had no right to dictate what she did. Only in his heart, he felt like he had every right.

"With Director Shepard in her office," answered Abby not being too quick to pull away.

Gibbs rested his chin on her head, holding Abby close for a few moments.

"I was scared, Gibbs. What if that car had-" Her voice broke at the words.

"I'm fine, Abbs."

Gibbs pulled away and looked into her green eyes. Her eyes spoke volumes to his heart. They always did. He was well aware of how much she cared about him and looked up to him. It was so damned hard some days knowing how much other people depended on him. He felt like it would be simpler to be detached. Sure as hell beat feeling so guilty all the time. Guilty for not measuring up, guilty for screwing up, guilty.

"I am fine," he insisted again.

"You're shaking."

Gibbs was vaguely aware of his own trembling. He'd been trying to fight off the tremors ever since the car had hit him. He knew instinctively it was just his body's way of dealing with the situation. It wasn't the first time he'd experienced the symptoms of shock, and he figured it wouldn't be the last. He hugged Abby again pressing another kiss on her brow, enjoying her warmth and comfort.

"I'm fine, Abby. I'm not going to be dancing a jig anytime soon but I'll be okay."

Abby pulled away while frowning at him.

"You should go rest, Gibbs."

"I will, Abbs, but I think I should go see how Aimee is doing. Then you, me and the girls are going back to my place."

Gibbs figured his house would be the safest bet despite still being a little worse for wear. Besides he could use his time to start some much-needed repairs. Might as well not waste time sitting around. Gibbs didn't miss how Abby's eyes sparked at his words, and he knew she was gearing up to argue with him. He gave her a pathetic look, hoping she would take pity on him and just concede. They stood quietly staring at each other for a few moments, and then Abby sighed.

"Fine, I'm going to go lock up my lab. McGee is finishing up a few things for Ducky," she paused giving him a saucy look, "I'd rather have McGee do it than that bozo, Griffin. Do you have any idea what he was doing…"

"Abby, can we discuss this later?"

Abby nodded. "Of course, sorry, Gibbs."

"I'll go talk with Aimee and we'll meet ya back at the bullpen in say," Gibbs looked at his watch briefly, "an hour. That sound okay?"

Abby sighed dramatically but nodded. Gibbs knew she wasn't happy about him wanting her to go with him but he was grateful she wasn't fighting him on it any longer. Abby was feisty at the best of times, and he knew she wasn't pleased with him being what she considered overprotective. Looking somewhat chagrined, Abby spun on her heel and disappeared around the corner.

Making his way towards Jenn's office, Gibbs tried to ignore all his aches and pains and the throbbing in his hip and knee as a result of the impact of the car. He could feel his hands still trembling and they felt clammy and cold. He probably should have rested in autopsy a little longer with the blanket wrapped around him. He just hated the fact that people were fussing over him, wasting precious time when things needed to be done. It just went against everything he believed in. There was so much they didn't know about the Percy murders. There had been several more murders since that resembled or mimicked it, yet they couldn't find any connections between the individuals involved. Abby's creepy stalker had given them some ideas towards a face but they had yet to make a face pattern match, so basically after 48 hours, they had nothing. Except for two scarred kids and one very annoyed special agent Gibbs.

Reaching Jenn's office, he saw Cynthia working at her desk. She looked up at him greeting him with a warm smile. Gibbs tried not to let any more guilt pierce him. He made a mental note to try and be nicer to the woman. She put up with a lot of crap from him and right now, Gibbs was on a guilt trip about everything. Instead of his usual bulldogging into the room, he stopped and acknowledged Cynthia with a small smile.

"It's okay, Special Agent Gibbs, just go on in," she replied with a warm smile. "They're expecting you, I'm sure."

As Gibbs reached for the door handle he willed himself to keep his head and emotions in check. Part of him wanted to march in and shake Aimee for worrying everyone so much and another part just wanted to wrap his arms around her and make all her fears go away. He needed to keep his wits about him and not blow things out of proportion.

Gibbs opened the door to chaos.


	14. Chapter 14

_**A/N HI Readers,**_

 _ **This is just a little Gibbs/Aimee fluff chapter. I don't have a great of time to edit my work so I've given you a small chapter. I hope that's okay. This doesn't really move the plot line along very far and maybe it's boring, but I thought some is better than none.**_

 _ **Would you rather I only post when I have a big chunk edited or are you okay with little chunks as I have them edited? Let me know your thoughts. I don't want to rush and post writing that is riddled with spelling and grammatical errors. (Although, I'm sure there are many errors I miss anyways LOL) I tend to write late at night so my unedited work is atrocious.**_

 _ **Hope you enjoy this next little part. I love Aimee's spunky character.**_

 ** _Cheers_**

 ** _xo_**

 ** _Jenny Wrens :)_**

Gibbs stood frozen in the doorway watching the scene unfold before his eyes. No one seemed to notice his entrance into the room as Aimee screamed loudly at Jenny. Janessa stood off in the corner, looking on in astonishment.

"Give it back!" screamed Aimee, clawing at something in Jenny's hand. "It's mine!"

"It's not yours, Aimee."

Jenny looked exasperated. Gibbs couldn't help but feel her frustration. He felt like he'd reached his wits end with the child as well. So much pent-up rage and volatility.

"It is too!" Aimee's face was red with anger as she continued to try and wrestle something from Jenny's grasp. "It's my mom's. Give it back!"

Jenny held the object—a cell phone?-just out of the little girl's reach.

"Mommy's was blue, Aimee," said Janessa, looking frightened by her sister's outburst.

Aimee squeezed her hands into fists as she glared at her sister. She kept trying to grab the cell phone out of Jenny's hand, her face contorting into a furious scowl.

"Shut-up, Janessa! Give it back NOW!"

Aimee reached out and clawed at Jenny, frantically trying to get her hands on the phone.

"Where did you get it, sweetie?" asked Jenny, backing away and attempting to place the object into the locked drawer in her desk. Jenn's voice was calm despite Gibbs knowing she was more than a little out of her element.

Aimee flung herself at Jenny, throwing punches at her with her fists.

"Stop it, Aimee!" shouted Janessa.

Gibbs groaned and decided it was his cue to step in. He strode across the room and restrained Aimee easily in his arms. She struggled and pitched a fit that would have made a hangry bear proud. Pain shot through him when Aimee kicked her feet, hitting him in the upper thighs and knee. He closed his eyes for a moment and willed himself to count to 10. He was coming really close to losing his own temper and it certainly wouldn't be a good thing for anyone if he did that. He was beginning to regret ever insisting that the little girls stay with him. What could he have been thinking?

He saw Jenny hold up a cell phone that he knew didn't belong to Aimee. He had already confiscated hers earlier on that day.

"She wants this," said Jenny loudly trying to be heard above Aimee's screeching.

Gibbs saw Janessa back herself further into a corner of the room.

"Where's Ziva? Abby said she found Aimee."

"She left to get something and said she'd be right back."

Gibbs furrowed his brow while still holding tight to the flailing child. He didn't think there was a point in trying to talk with Aimee while she was pitching a fit. He couldn't figure out where all this anger had come from. Could the child have been traumatised so badly that this was her way of dealing with things? He knew she's seen her father shot which must have been horrific for the child but he wasn't convinced that was where all this bitter anger was coming from. Was this just normal behaviour for her because she wasn't getting her own way which could be completely feasible as well given her age? Gibbs couldn't be sure, and it made it extremely difficult knowing how to proceed when he was so unsure where the behaviour stemmed from. He wished that they had more information to go on about the kids.

"Let ME GO, you stupid freak! I hate you!" she shouted continuing to kick her feet and flail her arms around.

Gibbs did the best he could to restrain her. It was like holding onto a greased pig in one of those hillbilly contests you had at summer camp when you were a kid. She was working herself up into such a tizzy that she was becoming soaked in sweat.

Gibbs decided he would try and speak softly to her to bring her down.

"Calm down, kiddo." He crooned softly, nodding his head towards Janessa who had started to cry as well.

Jenny seemed to take his subtle hint and went to Janessa. The small girl melted into a warm embrace as Jenny scooped her up into her arms and whisked her from the room away from Aimee's screaming. Before she left, Jenny nodded towards the cell phone that still sat on the desk.

As the door shut quietly, Aimee's fit ramped up further. Gibbs could feel Aimee start to panic in her rage.

"Hey, Aims, you need to calm down. You and I need to have a little chat, and you won't be able to hear me if you're screaming."

Aimee's response was to lift her head and pound it into his chest several times. He lifted his chin quickly in order to avoid getting smacked in the face. He gave her a firm shake.

"Stop that! You and I both know that phone isn't yours. Why do you want it so badly? Do you want to call someone?"

Aimee continued to struggle and scream, her voice becoming hoarser as time went on. Gibbs kept holding her tightly against his chest with her body facing outwards. She continued to fight against his restraining arms, but Gibbs could feel her starting to tire. His whole body ached as he held her. He was sure she was just as tired as he. It took a lot of energy to keep fighting against everyone. He braced himself against a wall and closed his eyes. Memories flashed in his mind as he thought back to times he'd held his daughter. She'd had nightmares and times she was frightened but never had he held her while in such an out of control fit. Gibbs sensed that Aimee's tantrum wasn't because of childish behaviour but more out a primordial need to have some kind of control. Everything in her world was spinning out of control. Gibbs understood that that was terrifying her. Somehow he needed to find a way to slow things down and stop the spinning.

"Let me GO, dammit!"

Gibbs cringed at her language. So young yet tarnished by the military life. It would have been normal to hear such utterances if the family was around other officers. Somehow it just seemed wrong coming out a mouth of one so young.

Suddenly an idea came to him and not knowing how else to handle her, Gibbs leaned in close to her ear and began to sing, hoping he wouldn't get his face bashed in.

"Hush little baby, don't say a word, papa going to buy you a mockingbird. If that mockingbird don't sing, papa's gonna buy you a diamond ring…"

Gibbs felt her startle at his voice. Her heart was thudding in her chest and she kept struggling but stopped screaming and seemed to be listening. It was obvious she hadn't expected him to sing to her. Gibbs had to admit, it was a long shot for him as well. He was grasping at straws.

"If that diamond ring turns brass, papa's gonna buy you a looking glass…"

Gibbs kept singing or-if he would describe it to another person—croaking, and slowly Aimee began to stop struggling and quiet down. Gibbs silently threw up a prayer of thanksgiving to whoever was overseeing things and kept crooning his lullaby. It nearly pierced his heart to sing the words but he kept singing anyway. He'd only ever sung the song for his own little girl. He did what he could to push away the clouds that often took over his thoughts when he allowed himself to reflect on her too long.

"If that looking glass gets broke, papa's gonna buy you a Billy goat."

Aimee's cries turned to soft hiccups as she fell limp in his arms. Gibbs pressed a kiss to the child's head and kept humming the song. He slipped to the floor still holding the girl to his chest. She quietly curled up her legs and relaxed into his chest. Gibbs could feel her trembling in his arms so he pulled her in closer in an attempt to offer her comfort.

"If that Billy goat won't pull…"

"D-did anyone tell you that you can't sing," she mumbled through another hiccup.

A grin pulled at Gibbs' lips. The kid had a sense of humour. It made her even more endearing to him.

"Think you can do any better?"

She nodded and took a deep breath. "Hush little baby, don't you cry; daddy's going to sing you a lullaby. Everything's gonna be alright. The Lord's gonna answer your prayer tonight." Her sweet childish voice rang out in the room so softly and the song gave Gibbs's goosebumps. He hadn't heard that version of the song before but it struck him as beautiful. (song by TobyMac)

"That's pretty."

Aimee shifted herself until she was facing him. Her eyes shimmered with tears.

"Do you hate me, Gibbs?"

"Nope."

She looked deeply into his eyes and Gibbs could tell she was trying to figure out if he was telling the truth. Her eyes swam with tears.

"Ziva said you didn't."

"Well, she's right, I don't."

The tears escaped and tumbled down her cheeks. Gibbs couldn't help but notice the relief washing over her face. For some reason, she had thought that he hated her. He couldn't pretend to understand why she seemed to care so much what he thought about her.

"That phone isn't yours, is it?"

She shook her head.

"Whose is it?"

"Ziva's."

"Did you take it?"

Aimee blinked back more tears but didn't look away from him. She didn't answer him but he felt sure she didn't take it from Ziva by gauging her look.

"Why do you need it, Aims?"

No answer.

Gibbs shifted himself slightly, removing Aimee from his lap. His legs were asleep. He needed to find a more comfortable place to sit. Gibbs rose to his full height, scooping Aimee up into his arms. She didn't protest as he positioned them on the sofa in the far corner of Jenn's office. He sat Aimee beside him so he could see her face but after a few moments, she was leaning against him. He wrapped an arm around her and it felt as natural as could be. She was craving his comfort and perhaps it was helping to keep her world more grounded. He could do that for her.

"Are you mad at me?" she asked.

"Nope. You mad at me?"

"A little," she admitted.

Gibbs reached out and held her hands in his. Guilt was rearing its ugly head again. He brushed the feeling aside stubbornly. Now wasn't the time to place blame anywhere.

"Aimee, I think you and I need to come to an understanding."

Gibbs cupped Aimee's chin gently in his rough hand, forcing her to look at him. He wanted her to hear him well, and he wanted to be sure that she understood him.

"There can only by one person in charge right now. You get that, right?"

Tears shimmered, threatening to follow the others before them as she blinked with wide open eyes. She pulled her face away defiantly. Gibbs could see the rebelliousness playing in her features. It dawned on him that she wasn't going to play possum and just go along with things he said without a fight. He was going to need to make himself very clear with her.

"You're a smart kid, Aimee. I think you know how serious things are and I also think you know more than you're telling me. I'm good with that. You don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to. But I'm not okay with you running off, pitching fits and stealing from my team."

Aimee's eyes widened further and her body stiffened under his grip. Her mouth opened to speak.

"No, don't say anything just yet, just listen to me."

She closed her mouth but a defiant fire sparked in her eyes. Gibbs could tell she didn't like being told what to do.

"I get it; things really suck, but we need to make the best of it. Right now, I'm in charge, and you may not like that but it is what it is. You need to mind me. That means you have to obey my words. You don't have to like it or even like me, but you do need to obey me and my team including Director Shepard. You cannot take off. You cannot do whatever you want. You cannot have a temper tantrum and hit people when you don't get your own way. And you cannot take or use things that don't belong to you. Am I making myself clear enough for you?"

No answer.

Aimee glared at him as tears traced a path down her cheeks once again. Her cheeks were red and he could feel her trembling under his fingers. He gave her his infamous glare letting her know just how serious he was about what he was saying. He wasn't concerned about her answering him. He just wanted to know they were on the same page. The longer he looked at her the more he decided that a good part of her struggled with pride. He hadn't thought that would be an issue with a nine-year-old girl, but Aimee showed all the signs that he'd seen in some of his marines in the past. It surprised him but he felt more determined. He could handle prideful rebellion. He just needed to feel confident that his gut instinct was correct and he wasn't completely convinced of that yet.

Gibbs softened his expression and voice as he released his grip on her. She wriggled further away from him, leaning against the arm of the sofa, not taking her eyes away from him.

"I owe you an apology. I shouldn't have smacked you earlier. I didn't have the right to do that when I was angry with you. For that, I'm sorry, Aimee."

Aimee's expression softened and she shrugged her shoulders. "It's okay," she mumbled, pulling her knees up to her chin and resting her head.

He smiled at her. "It's not okay, but thanks for forgiving me."

A smile tugged at her lips.

Gibbs leaned back, putting his hands behind his head.

"I need you to understand something, Aims."

He put his feet up on the coffee table, groaning as he felt twinges of pain shoot up his side. There was no doubt in his mind that he was going to be feeling this for a while. He was getting too old to be stopping cars with his person.

"I'm sorry about overreacting when I was angry, but I'm not sorry about swatting your backside. You may not have noticed but I'm kinda an old guy."

He smirked at her and was rewarded with a smile in return.

"Us old guys tend to do things in old fashioned ways which means I make no apologies for applying some physical incentive to help punctuate my words."

Aimee wrinkled up her nose and Gibbs could tell he'd lost her in his explanation.

Gibbs sat up more and faced her, wanting to make himself perfectly clear.

"All that means is, if you continue on the way you're going, don't be surprised if you end up across my knee. Understand?"

Her shocked expression gave him all the answer he needed to know. It was clear to him that they were now on the same page. He didn't need a verbal response.

"Why do you have Ziva's phone?"

Aimee worried her lip for several moments apparently digesting his words; she rocked back and forth on the sofa and then shrugged her shoulders.

"I-I needed to talk to Andrew."

"Who's Andrew?"

"My friend."

Gibbs narrowed an eye trying to read between the lines of her one and two-word answers.

"Did you talk to him?"

She nodded.

"What did he say?"

"To run away and contact him when I do."

"Aimee, if I give you the phone, can I talk to Andrew?"

Aimee sat up on the sofa, slid her feet to the floor and shook her head. She had the look of a cornered animal. Gibbs sat up as well wanting to be ready should she decide to bolt again. He silently berated himself for not locking the door.

"No! You can't talk to him. He's my friend!"

Gibbs had a hunch. "Aimee, was Andrew there when your dad was shot?"

Her face reddened and tears welled up in her eyes once more.

"He said he would stop talking to me if I told anyone about him."

"Aimee, you can trust me; I'm your friend. I promise you I will not go away no matter what you do. You can talk to me or you can choose to be quiet. You can yell, scream, and kick me and I still won't go away. True friends stick together no matter what. If Andrew is a real friend, he will be happy to talk to me."

Aimee shook her head. "No, he said I couldn't tell anyone."

Gibbs reached out and brushed her long hair out of her eyes. He could see the fear of abandonment in the little girl's eyes. So much deep-seated emotion was written on her face.

"Okay, Aims, you don't have to tell me. But for now, I don't want you to talk to him either. I need to know he's safe person for a nine-year-old to talk too and right now I don't."

Aimee stomped her foot. "You can't stop me. You're not my boss!"

Gibbs sighed. Why did it always seem like he took one step forward and four steps backward with Aimee? He fingered the cell phone in his pocket that he'd taken from her debating his next more. After a few moments had passed, he scrubbed a hand across his face deciding to let the matter drop for now. He wasn't going to win this argument with her without an altercation, and he really didn't want to travel that road. The dark circles under Aimee's eyes told him she was as exhausted as he felt. What they really needed to do was get some much-needed rest. Gibbs stood to his feet and raked a hand through his silvery gray hair.

"You're right, kiddo, I'm not your boss." He tapped her nose purposefully. "But, guess what? You still have to listen to me and you don't even get paid for it like the rest of my team. Sucks huh?"

His eyes twinkled as he looked at her scowling face. He hoped his silliness would draw a smile but it didn't. Instead, he saw her take a few steps backward and cross her arms defiantly. Her foot stomped again and her face reddened. She was gearing up for another temper tantrum. Gibbs quickly scooped her up into his arms hoping to distract her, tickling her with a small chuckle.

"Lighten up, Aims. Let's blow this Popsicle stand and get some supper. Does that sound like something that might interest you?"

Aimee blinked a few times as if deciding if she wanted to continue building her way into a tantrum or relent. She puffed out her cheeks and relaxed into his arms but remained quiet. Gibbs walked towards the door with her still in his arms. As he opened the door, he bumped into Ziva.

"Your cell is on Jenn's desk, David," said Gibbs. "Care to explain why you've been incommunicado all day?" He quirked an eyebrow at her noticing her face redden.

"Uh, I misplaced it, I guess."

Gibbs gave her his infamous glare. He wasn't really irritated with her. In fact, he was grateful that Ziva had found Aimee. He just felt like he needed to keep things consistent. No one on his team was allowed to be unreachable ever.

"It will not happen again, Gibbs."

Gibbs nodded. "Yah, I know it won't." He swatted at the back of her head lightly, a smirk blossoming across his face. "C'mon, Zivers, Aims, Abby, Janessa and I are going to grab a bit to eat; why don't ya join us?"

Ziva nodded with a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. Gibbs hoisted Aimee over his shoulder and was rewarded with a small giggle. It wasn't much but it was a start to what he hoped would be a much better evening than day.


	15. Chapter 15

_**A/N**_

 _ **Thanks for all the lovely reviews.**_

 _ **I had a delightful afternoon to myself yesterday while my dear hubby took the kids to play LazerTag with some friends. I did some housework, some laundry, and I edited a couple chapters.**_

 _ **Thought I'd give you one now...the other needs some work. My mind is working out the plot... So, now I need to do some tweaking.**_

 _ **But, hey, I'm impressed I'm still finding time to write and edit with how busy I am these days.**_

 _ **Enjoy:)**_

 ** _God bless,_**

 ** _xo_**

 ** _Jenny Wrens :)_**

Tony hung up the phone with a bit more force than he intended. He looked around and was relieved to see that much of the bullpen was empty so he could pretty much take his frustration out with a little more zeal than he normally would. In fact, on a whim, he picked up his mouse and whipped it across the room for some added stress relief. The object ricocheted off the nearby wall and landed on the floor in front of Gibb's desk.

"Son of a-"

"Now, Now, DiNozzo. Such strong language." scolded a deep voice as someone rounded the corner and came into view.

Tony groaned. "Whatever, Sawyer! My language pales in comparison to yours."

"Moi? I'm hurt, DiNozzo."

Tony smirked as he stood up to retrieve his mouse from the floor; the other agent entered his nook of the bullpen and pulled up a chair. Tony welcomed the company to help get his mind off the present for a while. Of course, with Kyle Sawyer, life could just be getting more interesting rather than less complicated. Tony had known the guy for a couple of years now and usually life was never dull when they hung out.

"I take it things aren't progressing as well as you would like, DiNozzo."

Tony shook his head and had to chuckle out loud. Leave it to Agent Kyle Sawyer to yank his chain about a case. The two of them seemed to make a sport out of poking fun at one another about the cases they were on. In actuality, Tony really liked Kyle. He'd been part of NCIS for a couple of years now, and Tony considered him a friend or, at the very least, a damned good drinking buddy.

"No," Tony rubbed his hands across his mouth as he uttered an expletive. "Sherlock."

Kyle rolled his eyes and laughed at Tony's way of trying to maintain proper decorum in the workplace. He glanced around and shrugged his shoulders.

"Gibbs doesn't follow the workplace rules, man. Why should you be any different? Where is ole cranky pants, anyway?"

"He took the kids out to eat and then back to his place for the night."

Kyle stood up, kicking the chair out of the way and planted his butt rebelliously on Gibb's desk.

"Why do I feel the urge to let one rip right now?"

Tony's award winning smile plastered his face. Kyle was a goofball and right now, Tony could use some levity.

"I dare ya to, Sawyer. Gibbs will smell it tomorrow and hunt you down."

The curly, blond-haired man lifted his leg and let out a loud fart, sighing with relief. Tony's laughter echoed throughout the room.

"You like to live dangerously, doncha?"

Kyle laughed and picked up some files from Gibbs' desk, flipping through them with disinterest. Tony picked up the chair Kyle had kicked over and straddled it with a dramatic sigh. Tony shook his head. Kyle liked to live life on the edge. There was no way Tony would touch anything on Gibbs' desk. He valued his life too much to risk having himself smacked into the middle of next week.

"This case is slipping fast into a cold case. It's already been over 48 hours, and we've turned up nothing concrete. Every lead we've had has turned up empty," Tony moaned.

"I thought Gibbs got a huge lead from that creep who was stalking Abby."

"That creep has too many damned connections. He's got a goddamned silver spoon in his mouth."

"How the hell can that be? Isn't his old man the coroner at the DCPD? No public servant I know makes enough to buy a decent car, let alone get rich. Hell, I can't even remember the last time me and my old lady went on a nice vacation."

Tony nodded. "It's not daddy that's the problem. It's momma bear; she comes from a long line of green. One of her fancy schmancy lawyers showed up and posted the bail to get the freak released. Turns out that little Ricky is a good ole boy. He has no criminal record and claims that Abby is a tease. Mommy Dearest wants to press charges against Abby and NCIS for the harassment of her darling baby."

Sawyer whistled. "Tough break for ya'll. So, what now? What's Abby got to say about all this?"

"Not a whole hell of a lot if Gibbs has anything to do with it. Abby is under Gibbs' protection and if she knows what's good for her, she won't mess with him," said Tony.

"Little Miss Goth girl stay out of mischief? No chance in hell of that happening!" laughed Sawyer.

"You talk like you know her, Sawyer."

Sawyer smirked. "C'mon, DiNozzo. Abby doesn't exactly have a reputation for being innocent."

Tony lifted a brow, feeling his temper rise at Kyle's insinuations. "Don't go spreading any rumors, Sawyer. Gibbs will string you up and use you for target practice. Abby is his favourite."

Kyle lifted his hands in surrender. "Hey, I'm not talking about anything lewd here. Relax! Just Abby has been known to stick her nose in places it doesn't belong. Remember that case with that bloody dog that attacked McGee?"

Tony relaxed somewhat. He had to agree that Abby did have a knack for getting in over her head. Not to mention a big heart that often led her astray. If she even caught wind of someone being treated unfairly, Abby was one of the first to jump to their defense.

"Yah, I remember, and Gibbs also chewed her out for that."

Kyle rolled his eyes. "Give me a break! Gibbs doesn't chew Abby out. He brings her Caf-Pows and kisses her on the head."

"What of it? You jealous, Sawyer? You want Gibbs to kiss you?"

"Hell, no, you jerk!" Sawyer punched Tony in the arm which made Tony laugh even harder.

"You hit like a girl, Sawyer," teased Tony, earning himself another punch.

"All I'm saying is that Abby does what Abby wants, and Gibbs is fooling himself if he thinks Abby is going to listen to him on anything."

Tony shrugged, rubbing his stinging shoulder. "Well, that's neither here nor there, Sawyer. Abby is under Gibbs protective custody just like the Percy girls. There is no way in hell she is going to do anything without Gibbs' knowledge."

Kyle stood up, flinging the files back onto Gibbs desk nonchalantly. Papers scattered everywhere and some landed on the floor. Tony grimaced at the carelessness of his friend. Kyle was a good agent, but he definitely lived life on the edge just a little more than Tony would have liked. He had the reputation for being a little too careless sometimes. Tony felt like one day that indifference was going to bite him in the butt.

"Well, mark my words; Gibbs better watch her. Never know what that dame is gonna do." Kyle reached into his pant pocket and pulled out his car keys. "I'm going for a beer. Wanna join me, DiNozzo?"

Tony brushed his hand over his face, feeling sorely tempted to down a few brewskies to numb his annoyances with the case. However, he couldn't help but feel a heavy fatigue settle over him as well. He was bone tired and would probably do better getting some shut eye. He yawned and stretched as he too rose to his feet.

"Nah; I'm gonna go home and get some sleep. I'm going to Gibbs house bright and early tomorrow to help him do some repairs on his house. Besides, this case is going nowhere and we all need some down time."

Kyle's features softened as he reached out and put a firm hand on Tony's shoulder.

"You're a good man to have in your corner when the chips are down. Gibbs is lucky to have you on his team, Tony."

Tony smiled at the compliment.

"I'll take a rain check on that beer. Once we have these little girls squared away and things get back to normal, you're buying!"

Kyle chuckled as he started walking towards the elevator.

"Count on it. Have a good weekend, man."

A few minutes later, he disappeared into the lift and Tony was left alone in the bullpen.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Abby came out of the bathroom, rubbing her eyes and yawning so forcefully that she heard her jaw crack. She looked at the clock in the hallway and it read 3am. She wasn't sure what had awoken her. Both Janessa and Aimee were fast asleep and the rooms upstairs were quiet. Abby padded across the floor towards Gibbs' room, quietly turning the handle to his door to peer in. She didn't want to knock in case he was asleep but another part of her thought maybe he'd be up reading. It was just a Gibbs kind of thing to do. Abby narrowed her eyes in the darkness to see if he was in his bed. She didn't feel all that surprised to see that he wasn't in the room but to be sure she wasn't dreaming, she flicked the switch on the wall and the room lit up proving her correct. No sign of Gibbs. Her next thought was that he'd be downstairs asleep on the sofa. Sometimes he did that too.

Abby crept downstairs; she felt a little like a naughty school girl trying to sneak past her father after being late for curfew. Only Abby wasn't a school girl, and Gibbs wasn't her father. Although, Gibbs had certainly made it clear more times than naught that he thought of her like his daughter. It gave Abby a warm feeling to know that Gibbs loved her so much. But sometimes, it irritated her too. For instance, tonight, she had wanted to go home to her own apartment and sleep in her own bed. She had some things she wanted to do on the weekend and now she was stuck at Gibbs house babysitting. Abby reached the foot of the stairs and peeked around the corner but didn't see Gibbs anywhere. Then, as she walked into the kitchen, she heard a familiar noise: the sound of gentle sanding coming from the basement. A smile tugged at the corner of Abby's lips. Somehow, she felt more at ease when Gibbs was sanding. Life felt just a little less out of control when she heard the steady, familiar sound.

Abby opened the fridge and was pleased to see something other than beer in it. Gibbs must have called someone to stock the fridge. Inside there was plenty of food to eat. Abby grabbed a juice box and an apple and padded out to the living room plopping herself on the sofa. The fire was still burning in the fireplace so the room felt cozy and warm. Abby pulled a blanket over herself and took a bite of her apple. The blanket smelled of Old Spice and sawdust which made Abby smile bigger. Gibbs had been sleeping here after all and probably woke up restless.

Some rustling was heard from out front which made Abby's hair stand on end. She willed herself to stay calm and listen closely. There was no reason to be alarmed. She was safe. Gibbs' house was safe. A few seconds later, she heard a cat hiss and shriek. Nothing but a silly catfight, she admonished herself. Abby sighed with relief knowing she was being silly. Gibbs house was being watched by agents all night. There was no reason for her to be jumpy. Abby stood up and wrapped the blanket tighter around her as she continued to chomp on her apple. She couldn't help but be curious about the cats, wondering if one had hurt the other. Abby went to the front door and opened it, looking around to see if one of the animals was injured. The door let in a cool night breeze that caused Abby to shiver. Pulling the blanket closer to her, she glanced around. She couldn't see the agents patrolling but that only gave her relief. She didn't really fancy being chased back into the house. The air was chilly but it was nice to be outside.

"Abby? Shouldn't you be asleep?" said a voice from the shadows.

Abby jumped in spite of herself and turned towards the sound.

"Oh, geez! You scared me," said Abby, smiling at the familiar face.

"Sorry. Why aren't you asleep?"

"Something woke me up. Gibbs' house isn't exactly my house," she attempted to explain. "I'm used to my own bed. It's always hard to sleep at someone else's house."

"Yah, I get that. Want me to take you home?"

Abby's eyes lit up at the suggestion. "You know what? I'd like that. The kids are asleep and Gibbs is sanding. Maybe I can catch a few hours at home and call Gibbs later. Let me leave him a note…"

He reached out to stop her from bolting back into the house. "I can inform Gibbs when I get back."

Abby chewed her lip in uncertainty. "I don't want him to worry-"

"He won't; trust me. You need anything from the house?"

Abby thought for a moment and then shook her head. The thought of curling up in her own bed sounded beyond amazing to her. She was willing to risk the wrath of Gibbs for a few solid hours of sleep under her duvet. Abby wrapped the blanket around her tighter as she followed him to his truck.

"Tony never told me your team was assigned to babysitting duty-"

He opened the door to his truck and Abby climbed in. With a sly grin, he walked around his vehicle, getting in and driving away.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Andrew folded the newspaper and tossed it on the table with an irritated sigh. He picked up his phone and clicked on the app once again. He'd checked it several times over the past day or so and Aimee hadn't shown up. He was getting worried. If she didn't contact him soon, his butt was on the line. He needed to get that information from her, and he needed it now. Why the hell did she have to be in the protective custody of NCIS? He should have just grabbed her the night Stratton killed her family. He hadn't wanted to scare her and ruin the relationship he'd been building for so long. Now he was thinking to hell with that; he just wanted out of things. He was too damned deep into it for his liking.

"Would you like any more coffee, sir?" asked the stocky waitress with a warm, pleasant smile.

Andrew looked up from his phone. "Sure," he said. "And bring me my bill, please."

The waitress filled his mug with more coffee. "Certainly, sir."

The coffee shop was quiet as it was still very early. Andrew looked at his watch to see it was only half past 6. Most people were still sleeping on such a lazy Saturday. He wished he was, but he needed to find out where NCIS kept kids who were in custody. His wife had already told him that the CPS hadn't received any calls about needing protective custody for minors. His wife had been a social worker for twenty years in the DC area. However, it wasn't unusual for NCIS to keep kids at safe houses without the knowledge of CPS. NCIS, FBI, and others like it had their own rules. As long as nothing happened to the kids under their watch, no one complained. And truth be known, even if something did happen, it would be buried so deep in red tape and bureaucracy that it would never see the light of day, in this millennium anyways.

Andrew drummed his fingers on the table thoughtfully. He had to get to Aimee. He'd already wasted enough time already. He fingered his cell phone for a few moments and then dialed a number.

"Hey, it's Andrew," he said softly to the voice that answered. "I need you to do me a favour. Yah, sorry, I know it's early, but this is important. I'll make worth your while."

Andrew listened to the voice on the other end groaned several times before conceding.

"I need a list of the safe houses and other places that NCIS stashes kids for protective custody."

Silence greeted him.

"Hello?"

Rustling paper and then several questions demanded.

"All I know is that NCIS is handling the case and the kids are with an agent named Gibbs. I need to know where Aimee Percy is being held."

More silence and then banging on computer keys in the background.

"My email is still the same. Forward me what you have."

Andrew ended the call and waited. Soon his phone vibrated and he checked his messages.

A smile spread across his lips as he read the email. Things were much better than he had expected.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Gibbs felt something pull at his eyelid. He blinked a few times and reached a hand up to rub at his eye.

"Mr. Gibbs? Are you dead?" asked a tiny, frightened voice.

Both Gibbs' eyes popped open to see little Janessa's face up close to his. So close in fact that he could feel her breath on his face. He groaned as he attempted to move a little, trying to remember where he was and how he'd gotten there. After a few seconds, things came back to him. He recalled coming down to his basement to sand for a while. His head had been so full that he couldn't get any rest anyway.

"Nope," he whispered hoarsely. "Not dead yet, but having a little trouble breathing."

Janessa squirmed a little confirming his suspicions. The little girl had managed to climb up and straddle his body. He felt like she was pinning him down, and his body was so sore from the day before, he didn't even feel like he could get up. The whole thing struck him a humorous. Here he was pinned down by a five-year-old in his own basement, and he quite literally couldn't move.

"Think you can get off me?" he asked, hoping she's move beside him.

She shook her head. "No."

"Why not?"

She didn't answer but instead said, "Why are you sleeping in your boat, Mr. Gibbs?"

Gibbs rolled his head around and saw that he had indeed fallen asleep inside the hull of his boat. It wasn't the first time. Often he would lay down there to rest his eyes and wake up hours later. Only other times he wasn't injured or aching from being hit by a car. Just about every ache and pain were returning to him, reminding him that he wasn't a spring chicken anymore. Hell, he wasn't even a summer chicken. He was more like a frozen winter chicken.

"I guess I was tired."

"Why didn't you sleep in a bed?"

"Anyone tell ever tell you that you ask a lot of questions?"

Janessa giggled. The movement of her giggles sent jolts of pain down his back causing him to grimace. She wiggled on top of him, steadying herself as he tried to sit up. But it was no use, he couldn't get up enough power to sit up.

"I need you to jump down, Janessa. I can't get up unless you do."

She shook her head. "I can't, Mr. Gibbs."

"How come?"

"It's too high and the chair fell down."

Gibbs turned his head to see what she was saying. She had managed to climb up the side of the hull using a chair. The chair was kicked over. Gibbs rolled his head back and forth, trying to think how he was going to get them both on their feet.

Movement on the stairs alerted Gibbs to someone else's presence.

"Boss?"

Gibbs felt himself sigh with relief when he heard Tony's voice. This was one time he was more than a little grateful for an inopportune visit from his protégée. Tony often showed up unannounced and most times, Gibbs never minded. Sometimes he did. This time, he definitely didn't.

"Some help here, DiNozzo?"

He heard Tony rush across the room and scoop up Janessa. She squealed with delight.

"Tony!" she said, with her voice full of excitement. "Mr. Gibbs is stuckted."

Tony grinned. "I see that."

Gibbs saw Tony set the little girl on the floor gently.

"Need a hand, Boss?"

Gibbs ran a hand through his hair, feeling more than a little irritated at the question. Leave it to Tony to be a wisecracker even at 6 in the morning.

"DiNozzo." His voice held a clear warning in it. He heard Tony snicker.

Tony reached out and carefully pulled Gibbs into a sitting position. Gibbs felt blood rush from his head as he slowly gained his equilibrium. The movement caused pain to shoot everywhere across his body. The glasses of bourbon had long worn off. Now he needed a bottle of Advil and some strong coffee and maybe some tractioning.

"You alright, Boss?"

Gibbs slowly moved until he was on his feet. He groaned audibly trying to work the kinks out. Sleeping the night under his boat hadn't been one of his cleverest ideas. A soft sofa might have been a better idea.

"I'll live." Gibbs looked down at Janessa who was smiling up at him with her missing tooth. "How'd you sleep, Squirt?"

"Good until I woke up."

"Why'd you wake up?" he asked.

"I got cold."

Gibbs worked his legs up and down as Tony cleaned up some of his tools. Janessa followed Gibbs around and mimicked his funny march around the room.

"Where's Aimee? Still asleep?"

Janessa shrugged. "That's why I got cold. She wasn't in bed and left the blankets up to let in the cold wind."

"Where is she?" asked Gibbs, not being able to keep the gruffness out of his voice.

"Dunno. I can't find Abby neither."

Gibbs groaned and looked at Tony.

"Don't get your knickers in a knot, Boss. They're probably are doing girly stuff in the bathroom."

Gibb's scowl softened at the words. Tony was probably right. Abby was likely helping Aimee with something in the bathroom. Gibbs held out his hand towards Janessa.

"Well, I dunno 'bout you, but I'm starving. How about you and me wrestle up some food."

Janessa's face lit up. "Can we have-"

"NO sprinkles," he said, cutting off her question. "Today we're having Gibb's special."

She wrinkled up her nose. "What's that?"

"Bacon and eggs"

Tony walked across the floor and scooped Janessa up in her arms, planting a kiss on her cheek.

"And if you're really good, Gibbs might even cook the bacon over the fireplace," he said.

Janessa squealed with delight as Tony swung her up over his shoulder and dashed up the stairs with her. Show off, thought Gibbs. Gibbs limped slowly across the floor, grateful for Tony's help. He wasn't going to be very useful today. His whole body was revolting against him. Once he reached the foot of the stairs, he stopped and glared at them. He wished he had an elevator about now. He was going to feel every step of the way up. Sighing, he reached out and grasped the railing, pulling himself up slowly. He longed for the days of his youth when he could shake off any injury. Getting old sucked.

Once he reached the top of the stairs, he pushed the door open only to meet some resistance from the other side. He peered around the door to see Janessa sitting behind it. He narrowed his eyes in curiosity only to have her put a finger to her lips.

"Quiet, Mr. Gibbs. I'm hiding from the mean giant."

Gibbs put his fingers to his lips, his eyes twinkling at her. Far be it from him to be the one to give up her location to a nasty giant. Gibbs limped across the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee, grateful that he'd remembered to set the coffee maker the night before. He searched around his cupboards for the Advil and popped several extra strength pills into his mouth, chasing them down with some strong, black coffee. From the distance, he could hear someone stomping around the living room. Gibbs walked towards the room to see Tony thumping his feet loudly with a big grin on his face. He winked at Gibbs like only a big kid could.

"Fee Fi Foe Fum. I smell the blood of an Englishman. Be he alive or be he dead. I'll grind his bones to make my bread." Tony made his voice sound menacing.

Gibbs felt a smile tug at his lips. Tony was a bigger kid than he knew.

"Indoor voice, Tony," Gibbs said smirking and rubbing his temples. Gibbs felt like he had a headache brewing as well, but he was glad Tony was so great with kids.

"Sorry, Boss."

Copious amounts of giggling could be heard from the kitchen.

"I don't think she quite gets the idea of hiding," said Gibbs, still smirking.

Tony laughed. Then he started beating his fists on his chest and let out a god-awful scream like Tarzan.

Gibbs grimaced and reached out, playfully smacking him on the back of the head.

"Keep it down to a dull roar, Tarzan."

Tony groaned and rubbed the back of his head.

"Geez, you're grumpy in the morning, dad," said Tony with a twinkle in his eye. Gibbs reached out to smack him again but missed as Tony ducked into the kitchen.

"Start the eggs you joker. I'll go get the other kids."

As Gibbs started up the stairs, he heard Janessa scream with delight. Obviously, Tony had found her and was tickling her into submission. Her giggles filled the whole house. It was a sound that Gibbs had truly missed. No house was a home without childish laughter.

Once at the top of the stairs, Gibbs began looking for Abby and Aimee. He poked his head in every room after knocking, hoping he wouldn't walk in on them in a state of undress. He didn't find them anywhere. After a few minutes of hunting, he began to grow worried. He even looked under the bed and in closets thinking maybe they had started their own game of hide-and-seek. He always tried to keep from being surprised by his team's playful antics. The last place he looked was in the bathroom and they weren't there either. Gibbs hurried to his room, grabbing his cell phone off his nightstand and dialed the outside agents asking them if they'd seen Abby or Aimee outside. He came up dry. Aimee and Abby were missing.


	16. Chapter 16

Abby snuggled further under her duvet and, with her eyes still closed, reached out to pull Bert, her farting Hippo, closer to her. She tucked him neatly under her chin, and he responded with a happy Bert-like fart. A contented smile formed on her lips. It felt so good to be in her bed. It felt like forever since she'd been in it. There was just something about your own bed that felt so heavenly. Then, as if a cup of cold water had been thrown at her, she bolted up in her bed. She was supposed to be at Gibbs house, not at hers. Her eyes flew to her bedside clock. It read 10am. Gibbs was going to kill her.

Abby jumped out of bed, grabbing her housecoat and throwing it on over her pajamas. She needed to call Gibbs right away. He'd be worried, especially if the other agent hadn't remembered to tell him she'd left to go home. As she rushed into the living room, she stifled a scream to see someone asleep on her sofa. Her muffled scream caused the man jump up, looking equally alarmed.

"Sawyer! What are you doing sleeping on my sofa?" exclaimed Abby, suddenly feeling a little vulnerable standing in her house coat with a strange man in her midst.

Kyle stretched and rubbed his blurry eyes. "Well, I couldn't exactly leave you here alone without protection, Abby. Gibbs would kill me!"

"You said you were going to tell him where I was!" she scolded. "Does he even know?"

Kyle blushed. He'd meant to wake up earlier and call the other agents but he'd fallen into a deeper sleep than he'd meant too. Perhaps he's had one too many beers the night before. As he opened his mouth to say more, a loud knock on the door echoed throughout the room. Abby dropped her hands to her side and rushed to the door. She didn't know what to think and was really worried about Gibbs being furious with her for taking off without telling him.

Abby opened the door and came face to face with McGee.

"Abby! Thank God!" Abby was shocked when McGee pulled her into a worrisome hug. "We've been looking for you for hours! We thought something might have happened to you!"

Abby pulled away. "Sorry, Timmy. Sawyer was supposed to tell Gibbs where I was." She cast a glare at the man who was sheepishly looking at them.

Kyle lifted his hands up in surrender. "Hey, she wanted to come home, so I took her. I couldn't exactly leave her here alone so I stayed."

This time McGee glared at her. "Abby!"

"I couldn't sleep, Timmy," Her voice was a whine. She felt like she'd made a terrible mistake leaving and now she was afraid to face the consequences. "And I didn't have Bert. You know I don't sleep well without him."

"You could have called me to get him for you. Instead, you've worried everyone half to death. Gibbs is beside himself. Aimee is missing too!"

"Oh, no!" Abby exclaimed, tears coming to her eyes. "She was there at 3am when I left. Where could she have gone?"

McGee shrugged. "We don't know. We've got agents searching everywhere, and Tony put out a BOLO. Gibbs is furious, Abby. He thinks you've both been kidnapped." Tim reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. "Sawyer, you better get your butt outta here before Gibbs sees you. He's as angry as a hornet right now."

Sawyer grabbed his shoes and jacket and high-tailed it out the door without a word. Tim shut the door after him with a firm slam. Abby jumped at the sound, feeling tears burn in her eyes. She opened her mouth to say something, but Tim put his phone to his ear and she thought better of it. Instead, she wandered to her bedroom to get dressed. She could hear Tim on the phone talking to someone and no one sounded the least bit amused.

Abby quickly dressed and went into her bathroom to brush her hair. She slowly combed through it as she stared in the mirror at herself. She watched as tears trickled down her cheeks forlornly. She hadn't meant to worry anyone. Now Aimee was missing and that was her fault too. Had she just stayed put, she might have heard the little girl wander off.

Tim came up behind her. "Don't blame yourself, Abbs. If Aimee took off, that isn't your fault. The agents on duty are responsible no matter how you slice it. Both you and Aimee managed to take off while they were standing guard. That's sloppy on their part!"

Abby pulled at her hair and began to tie it up into her characteristic pigtails. She chewed her lip tentatively.

"Is Gibbs angry?"

Tim looked at her. "What do you think?"

Abby responded by blinking back more tears. She turned to look at Tim begging him with her eyes to understand why she did what she did. Surely Tim out of everyone would understand.

"I didn't mean to make everyone worry, Timmy. Sawyer said he'd tell Gibbs so he wouldn't be worried. I was going to be back early but we slept in. I guess I was more tired than I knew."

Abby dropped her head when she saw Tim's face hadn't softened. She knew she wasn't a child and she was perfectly capable of following orders given to her. Gibbs wasn't asking anything unreasonable of her. His requests weren't to be controlling but to keep her safe.

Tim sighed and rubbed her back gently. "Best get a move on, Abbs. I'll take you back to Gibbs place. You can talk with him yourself."

Abby nodded and continued to ready herself. Her stomach was flip-flopping, and her conscience was starting to beat her up as her mind worried about Aimee's whereabouts. Gibbs had enough to worry about finding the culprits who killed the Percy family so the girls could be safe. He didn't need to have her missing to add to his concerns and worries. Gibbs was already over the top thinking someone was trying to hurt her because her hearse had been blown up in the Navy Yard. While Abby felt it was just a coincidence, she knew her faithful leader did not feel that way at all. Gibbs' gut instincts were working overtime, and Abby had just managed to exacerbate things.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Aimee wrapped her arms around her knees as she shivered in the early morning air. Her little arms were covered in goosebumps and she wished she'd remembered to bring a sweater or a jacket. It had been so dark when she'd awoken and hadn't wanted to wake anyone up. When she'd opened the inside door, she'd seen the agent on guard nodding off. He's been leaning against the wall on the front step and it had been easy to sneak past him. She'd even heard him let out a loud snore. She'd had to stifle a giggle when she'd heard it. It had struck her as funny that a grownup could fall asleep standing up. Once outside and out of the sight of the other two agents who weren't asleep, Aimee had hidden in the shadows trying to decide what she should do. She needed to find a way to contact Andrew. He was going to mad at her for taking too long. Aimee felt like maybe Andrew might have given up on her. Gibbs was making her confused. It was all his fault. Why did he always make her stumble over her decisions? Something about him made her want to trust him. But, he was confusing her. He'd hit her. But, then he apologised. Only he didn't apologise for hitting her; he said sorry for doing it when he was angry. Aimee pulled her knees closer. Yet, somehow even though Gibbs was confusing her, Aimee liked him. He was nice. It was just so confusing to her.

"Stop it!" she mumbled to herself, pulling at her hair.

She needed to steal a phone so she could contact Andrew. Suddenly she felt angry with Gibbs for taking her phone. He had no right. It was hers. He had no right to keep her from talking to Andrew. Gibbs didn't understand that Andrew was her friend. He said he was going to help her. He understood her. Gibbs had no idea what Jonathan had done to her. Andrew did. He promised he would help her.

But Gibbs wanted her to let him talk to him. Gibbs said he was her friend. Gibbs said that friends don't go away no matter what. Tears fell down Aimee's cheeks. She wasn't a good friend to Gibbs or anyone. She had left Janessa behind too. Aimee sniffled loudly as her stomach rumbled. She felt tired and she didn't know what to do anymore.

She peeked around the corner from where she was sitting. She could see people scurrying around below her. A part of her wanted to make herself known so she could feel safe, but another part of her felt like she needed to stay hidden.

"I hate you," she muttered out loud, thinking about Gibbs again.

A sudden sound from beneath her caused her to startle and crawl further into the shadows. She blinked in the darkness of the enclosed treehouse and strained her eyes to see who had decided to trespass into her hiding place. Her eyes widened and she blinked a few times, trying to decide if she was seeing things or not.

"Andrew? Is that really you?"

The man turned towards her voice and flashed a bright smile her way. Aimee didn't know whether to laugh or cry. The one person she had come to trust and rely on over the past year had come to her rescue just like he'd said he would. Gibbs had been wrong about him. Andrew was her friend. She could trust him. She rose to her feet and flung herself into his arms. Andrew wrapped her into a tight embrace but then pulled her away, giving her a firm shake.

"I told you to run away, Aimee!" he scolded her.

Tears filled her eyes as she stared at him. He had to understand why she couldn't.

"I-I tried, Andrew…they took the phone and I didn't know how to talk to you again," sobbed Aimee, pleading with him with her eyes.

"You've made things so difficult, kid. Why didn't you come with me when I came to your house? You should have trusted me!" The man shook her firmly again. "Getting you away from these agents is going to be next to impossible."

Aimee continued to stare at him with tears falling down her cheeks miserably. She didn't have anything else to say to make things better. She was tired, cold and hungry. She felt frightened. Andrew stared at her crossly for several moments and then drew her into a tight hug again.

"It's gonna be okay, darlin'. You're safe now," Andrew murmured softly.

Andrew's soft, compassionate voice made her shiver and she began to sob. Andrew would keep her safe. He promised to take care of her. Things would be okay now.

After several minutes of silence, Andrew pulled her away again.

"You need to listen to me close now, darlin'. You have to trust me and cooperate with me. No matter what happens, promise me that you will trust me and do what I say, okay?"

Aimee nodded as she wiped the tears away with the back of her hand. She was willing to do anything Andrew said now. He came like he had promised he would. Everything would be okay now.

Andrew gave her another firm shake. "Promise me, Aimee."

"I-I promise."

Andrew released his tight grip on her arms. "All right then. Keep your eyes closed and hang on tight to me when we climb down. There are a lot of scary men around this house carrying guns. They believe they are doing the right thing trying to rescue you from me, but they don't understand that we want to be together. They don't know that I'm trying to protect you, and they aren't going to listen to me right now either. I need to get you to a safe place away from here before I can talk to them. If I try to explain things now, they won't listen; they'll just take you away from me. Do you want that to happen?"

Aimee fervently shook her head. Andrew was finally here after a long time of waiting for him to come. She didn't want to be separated from him ever again.

"Okay." Andrew scooped her up in her arms and brushed a light kiss across her forehead. "Hang on, darlin'; this might be a rough ride."

Aimee wrapped her arms around Andrew's neck and burrowed her head into his chest. She closed her eyes and clung to him for dear life. Things would be okay now.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Gibbs ran a hand through his rapidly graying hair. He felt sure that every last dark hair had finally sealed its fate and joined the rest of the silver-haired gang. He'd just finished tearing a strip out of the three agents who had been on guard detail the night before. Negligence at its finest. He'd have all their badges for their incompetency. There was no excuse for carelessness. Gibbs had been relieved to discover that Abby had merely asked for a ride home. He was pissed at her, but he was glad it had only been that. His mind had been wandering in so many horrid directions earlier before McGee had called him. He feared she'd been kidnapped. His mind was somewhat at ease knowing she had just taken off and that the agent, albeit a stupid idiot, had at least had common sense enough to stay with her and keep her from harm. He still wanted to know who the dolt was but that was for another time. For now, Abby was safe in McGee's care and on her way back to his home. He'd have more than a few choice words for her once he got his hands on her. Of all her hair-brained schemes, he couldn't wait to hear her excuse for taking off in the middle of the night. What would have possessed her to do something so stupid.

"Agent Gibbs," said a voice from afar.

Gibbs was pulled from his thoughts and he looked up to see who had called him. As he spun on his heel, his eye caught sight of movement coming down the ladder of the treehouse in the backyard. So, his instincts had been correct after all. He'd told several of the agents to check the small fortress because he knew kids had a fascination for it. More than once a child had sought solace in the small abode. He saw the back of a man carrying Aimee in his arms. He started towards the agent with words of gratitude forming on his lips. But as Gibbs made his move, the man spun around and held a gun out at him. Gibbs froze in consternation.

"Who the hell are you?" demanded Gibbs, reaching inside his own jacket for his weapon. He instantly realised that the man holding Aimee wasn't an agent.

"Don't even think about it! One wrong move and I'll blow her head off. Don't think for one minute that I won't do it."

Gibbs drew his weapon and cocked it at the man. The man did not flinch but drew Aimee closer to him. Aimee didn't move but clung to the man and seemed to be without fear. Why wasn't she fighting to get away from him? Did she know him? Gibbs' mind began to whirl as he continued to size up the situation. Aimee's lack of alarm gave him great cause to be concerned. From the corner of his eyes, he saw more agents surround the man, including Ziva and Tony. They had their own way of communicating; his team's attention was sharp to everything. A blink of an eye or a subtle shift in movement allowed his team to know if he wanted them to take the shot. It wasn't the first time they'd had a standoff with someone holding a child hostage. He could feel Ziva and Tony's eyes burning into him, waiting for his next move. Gibbs held his hands steady as he stared at the man holding Aimee. With one hand he pulled out his badge and flashed it at the man. He had a hunch he knew who the guy was as well.

"I'm Agent Gibbs. That must make you Andrew. You're the only one who'd Aimee trust like this. Let her go and we'll talk. Give me a sign of good faith," demanded Gibbs, inching closer to the man.

Gibbs heard the guy curse and whisper to Aimee. He saw the little girl shudder under his words and he felt sure he heard her whimper as well. Andrew was frightening her. Gibbs had to steel himself against his inner reaction. Aimee's body language had changed instantly. What had Andrew said to shake her resolve?

"I can't do that, Agent Gibbs. I need to take her with me. Call your agents off, or I will kill her. You know I will."

Gibbs returned his badge to his pocket and resumed his careful aim. "You won't get that chance, Andrew. My team would take you out before you knew what hit you. C'mon, man, give me a sign of good faith. Let her go. I won't say it again." Gibbs watched as his agents and others closed in on Andrew. He couldn't help but notice the clenched jaw on Tony. The case was becoming as personal to him as it was to Gibbs. If they weren't careful, the tension would cause someone to make the shot prematurely; Andrew wouldn't live to talk to anyone. Gibbs didn't want the guy dead if at all possible. There was so much they didn't know, and Gibbs hoped that Andrew might have some answers.

Andrew pressed the barrel of the gun to Aimee's brow. The little girl wiggled in his arms and put her head up, making eye contact with Gibbs. Gibbs' heart leaped into his throat. His cobalt eyes peered into her frightened blue ones. Her features were flooded with confusion and betrayal. Gibbs could tell that she no longer knew who was the good guy was anymore. Andrew lifted his hand and shoved her face back down harshly while shouting at her. He started to back away from Gibbs towards the street.

"Call your agents off. I'm taking her with me," hissed the man, a clear determination in his voice.

Gibbs narrowed his eye as he turned his head towards DiNozzo. Andrew's voice had a note of desperation in it that Gibbs didn't like. That made him unpredictable. With a short almost indiscernible nod, Gibbs gave his team notice. It was perfectly timed and calculated. They'd done it before, and they'd do it again. It wasn't meant to be a kill shot, but it would take him down none-the-less. As a shot rang out in the air, Gibbs lunged forward.


	17. Chapter 17

_**A/N Thanks so much for all the fabulous reviews and insights!**_

 _ **Here is another chapter, hopefully editing is up to snuff. Been a crazy mom day and getting even more insane as Christmas approaches. trying to get updates in as much as possible but they might be less frequent as the holidays approach.**_

 _ **Gibbs might be considered a little OOC in this chapter. I give you a little advanced warning on that...but he has been hit by a car recently and he's seriously lacking in sleep so blame it on that :D**_

The target was hit with enough force to knock him off balance and hurl him into a world of inexplicable pain. His team was trained to take someone down expertly. Not every situation called for a kill shot. Sometimes it benefited them to take a suspect in alive. Something about Andrew bothered Gibbs. There was more to the situation than met the eye. Gibbs couldn't put his finger on it but his gut was screaming at him. Thankfully his instincts took over even through his confusion and he was on top of the guy in mere seconds, pinning him to the ground with his knees. The man groaned in dire agony as Gibbs leaned hard on him.

"Gimme a reason to pull the trigger," warned Gibbs, glaring at the man.

Aimee was tossed to the ground with such force that it knocked the wind from her. She lay stunned in the grass, gasping for air. Gibbs was relieved when Ziva sprang forward and scooped the child up into her arms. The wailing that came next told Gibbs that she wasn't too injured just extremely frightened and Gibbs guessed angry as well. He could hear Ziva whispering to her.

"Don't shoot," gasped the man weakly, moaning at the weight Gibbs put on him.

Gibbs flipped him over harshly and cuffed him, not caring in the least for his injury. The man would live. At the moment, he didn't give a damn if the perpetrator was in pain or not. He just needed to be alive so he could interrogate him.

"STOP it!" screeched Aimee, finding her voice but in a state of panic. "Leave him alone!" Gibbs could see Aimee struggling to free herself. "You're hurting him, you stupid jerk!"

Gibbs pulled Andrew up to his feet and roughly shoved him towards a nearby agent who had come to his assistance. Tony came forward, holstering his weapon and patted Gibbs on the back.

"You okay, Boss?"

Gibbs nodded briefly and turned his attention to Aimee who was practically clawing Ziva's eyes out to free herself. Gibbs walked over and took the girl in his arms, attempting to embrace her in her panicked state. Gibbs couldn't help but notice how upset Ziva looked. Aimee had managed to inflict some nasty scratches down Ziva's cheek. Blood was welling up and oozing out of painful looking marks. Aimee struggled to get away from Gibbs grip; her temper fit was increasing as the agent dragged Andrew further away to a vehicle, but Gibbs tightened his hold on her.

"Andrew!" she screamed. "Don't leave me!" Aimee pushed herself away from Gibbs, punching at his face with her fists. "You hurt him, you big dummy! I hate you! Andrew!"

Gibbs restrained her hands as best he could and began to walk towards the house. He needed to get her away from the action and calm her down. There was no point in trying to talk with her when she was hysterical. At this point, Gibbs was conflicted. He didn't know what Andrew had said or done to the small child and she wasn't fit for conversation.

"DiNozzo, help Ziva," he tossed over his shoulder as he carried the wailing girl into the house. His heart was aching, wishing he could pull Ziva into his arms as well. Her strange look was disconcerting. He made a mental note to speak her at a later time. Something was eating at her. It wasn't normal for his youngest team member to look so unsettled after a shooting, especially one without a kill shot.

Gibbs entered his house and immediately was drawn to Janessa's wide eyes. The little five-year-old girl was clinging to another female agent, looking beyond traumatized. Gibbs licked his bottom lip, feeling a moment of regret. Maybe he'd been wrong. Perhaps he shouldn't have insisted on keeping the girls in his protective custody. By doing so, he seemed to have made things ten times worse. Aimee's struggling forced him to pull his eyes away from a pitiful Janessa. He tossed Aimee effortlessly over his shoulder. He barely acknowledged the other agent as he carried Aimee upstairs to his bedroom. He knew Tony and Ziva would be close behind him and they would be able to take care of Janessa. One of the best things about the five-year-old was how quickly she seemed to bounce back with just a little bit of love and security. It was like she was starved for it. Gibbs cursed the fact that they had no information on the family. They seemed to have more questions than they did answers. Nine-year-old Aimee was a bewildering mystery to him. Gibbs just couldn't decide the best way to reach her.

Once in his bedroom, Gibbs set Aimee down on the bed where she proceeded to pitch the mother of all fits. As Gibbs turned to shut his bedroom door, she lay out on the bed and kicked her feet and pounded his fists. Gibbs kept his distance watching her while she wore herself out. He felt just a little out of his element. He'd never witnessed such a temper fit in his life. Aimee had reached the end of herself. Gibbs knew that the tantrum had everything to do with feeling so out of control. The little girl was doing what she could to cope and was failing miserably. His heart went out to her. The fit lasted for several long minutes before she simmered down, rolling into a tight ball onto her side and sobbing. Gibbs sat down beside her, reaching out to stroke her hair in an attempt to comfort her. He could feel her trembling beneath his fingertips.

"Ready to talk yet?"

She shook her head as her shoulders heaved heavily under her cries.

Gibbs kept stroking her hair. "That must have been really scary, but you're safe now. Andrew is safe too. I promise you that he isn't hurt very badly."

"H-he got shot!" she hiccupped.

"Yah, he did." He acknowledged her words with a grim look. "He wouldn't listen to me and we couldn't risk him taking you away."

Aimee bolted up in the bed shaking her fists at Gibbs. "You hurt him! I hate you!" Gibbs pulled back slightly but didn't move. He looked at the frightened girl; he ached to hold her and hug away the hurt. She looked so lost and confused.

"Aimee, he threatened to shoot you. Friends don't do that!"

Aimee punched him. "Shut up!"

Gibbs caught her arm gently as she continued to punch at him.

"H-he didn't mean it. He said it was a game! You're so s-stupid."

Aimee continued to punch him and kick her feet in anger. In a sudden, unexpected response, she leaned forward and sunk her teeth onto his hand, biting down hard. Gibbs yelped in surprise and yanked his hands away, releasing her. Aimee took that moment to jump to her feet and run to the door.

"Andrew!" she screamed at the top of her lungs.

Gibbs nursed his hand for a few moments before gaining his wits again and rushed after her before she could escape out the door. Gibbs wrapped an arm around her waist and scooped her up. He felt his irritation bubbling up deep within him, and he needed to remind himself to stay calm. A part of him was ready to lose his own temper but he knew it was the pain talking and not rational thinking; overreacting wouldn't help the situation at all. He set her down on his bed firmly and stooped to her level, being mindful to keep her hands restrained. He gave her his infamous glare of warning.

"That's enough!"

He punctuated his words by giving her a firm shake.

Aimee glared at him, her face was red with anger. Gibbs felt sure that if she had been physically capable of cleaning his clock, she would have done it ten times over by now.

"You need to calm down so we can talk, Aims. Pitching this fit is going to land you in a whole world of trouble with me. Do you remember our previous conversation? Consider this your final warning!"

His voice was firm as he looked deeply into her eyes, making sure he was being perfectly clear. He wasn't joking around with her. He'd reached the end of his patience as well. His bitten hand was throbbing along with the rest of his body. He might have been temporarily distracted by the morning's events, but his body hadn't forgotten he'd been hit by a car the previous day. It was screaming at him, making him feel much less than patient than he might have normally been. His mind was working overtime to remind himself to keep his temper.

Aimee blinked back tears. Gibbs could see her thinking carefully about his words. He knew she was frightened and confused. He knew that her behaviour stemmed from the morning's events. He could hardly blame her for her reactions but he still needed her to calm down. Aimee wiggled under his firm grip on her forearms.

"Lemme go!" she whined at him, relenting somewhat under his glare.

Gibbs released her arms, rising to his full height with a groan. To his great relief, she didn't move but instead seemed to relax somewhat. Gibbs took that moment to glance at his hand. Aimee had managed to sink her teeth in deep enough to draw blood. He leaned over and cupped her chin in his hands, lifting it up so he could take a good look.

"Your teeth okay?"

He'd yanked his hand away with some force, and he would have felt awful if he'd have knocked a tooth loose. A quick glance told him her teeth were all intact and her mouth didn't look injured. Just as quickly she yanked her face away casting him a deathly glare. Gibbs dropped his hand with a weary sigh. This kid was going to be the death of him.

"Aims, Andrew was threatening to kill you. You did hear that, right?"

"He didn't mean it!" she shouted at him.

"How do you know that?" Exasperation was in his voice.

"He told me so and Andrew doesn't lie to me!"

Gibbs crossed his arms in utter frustration. The girl was so stubborn in her understanding of events. She was clinging to what she believed to be truth and nothing he seemed to tell her was going to change her perception. What was he missing? What did this small child know that he didn't? Gibbs sat beside her and put a warm hand around her, pulling her closer. Aimee stiffened but, to his relief, she didn't pull away. She seemed to be finally settling down.

"Okay, kiddo. I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt for your sake. That agent who took Andrew with him is going to get him some medical care. Look at me." He called her attention to his eyes. "Yes, he was shot, but Ziva didn't hurt him too badly. He's gonna be sore but he'll be fine." Gibbs saw her blink back tears. So many emotions were written across her young face, and Gibbs couldn't put his finger on which emotion jumped out at him the most. She just seemed so torn. "Hey, I promise you that Andrew is safe. Do you believe me?"

Aimee licked her lips thoughtfully. Gibbs could tell she was pondering if she could trust him. Gibbs had made it a point to be careful in all his interactions with the child. More than anything he wanted her to trust his words, to trust him. He was relieved when she moved her head in an almost imperceptible nod.

"Once you and I are done talking, I'm going to go to NCIS and talk to him. I promise I will be kind to him, alright?"

Aimee nodded again. Gibbs pulled her in closer and was glad when she didn't struggle to escape. She was finally settling down.

"Aimee, why do you think Andrew was playing a game?"

She leaned into him and Gibbs could feel her body trembling against him but she didn't answer him. Gibbs pulled her up onto his knee tenderly, glad that she was fighting him anymore.

"I was scared when I saw him pointing that gun at your head. You looked scared too."

"He told me to pretend."

"When did he say that?"

"He whispered it to me. He said look scared Aimee so I did. He promised me I'd be safe. Andrew wouldn't hurt me, Gibbs. He loves me."

Aimee's body started to quiver in his arms as she succumbed to sobs. Gibbs rested his chin on her head and rocked her. The case just seemed to get more convoluted as time wore on. Everything he knew only served to confuse him more. What the hell was going on? He needed to talk to this Andrew character and get to the bottom of things. Even his famous gut was confused and he depended on it for direction. Aimee's reactions were confusing the hell out of him and he just didn't know what to think anymore.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Several hours later, Gibbs came downstairs thankful he'd been able to convince Aimee to calm down. It was obvious by looking at her that she beyond exhausted. He had no idea how long she'd been hiding in the treehouse outside. Gibbs had long since decided that he was going to sleep in the same room as Aimee for the time being and he was going to lock the door. She was a flight risk and there was no way she was going to escape under his watch again. He entered his living room to see Abby, McGee, and Tony sitting on the sofa talking quietly together. Janessa was curled up on Tony's lap asleep. It was an endearing sight to see. Poor little girl must have been exhausted. Gibbs noticed Ziva was standing on her own by the fireplace staring into the flames. She seemed lost in her thoughts. He walked up to her and lightly brushed a hand across her cheek, concern written on his face. He grimaced at the inflamed scratch on her face. Aimee had definitely made her mark on Ziva, in more ways than one. Gibbs offered Ziva an encouraging smile. He could tell she wasn't herself. He could read it in her demeanor and her expression. He didn't know what she was thinking but something was bothering her.

"You ok?"

She nodded as she leaned her cheek into his hand. "I am okay, Gibbs. How is Aimee?"

"Sleeping, for now. Do you mind sitting with her in case she wakes up?"

"Not at all." She turned to Tony. "I can take Janessa upstairs too."

Tony nodded and stood up, handing the sleeping Janessa to Ziva. The small girl didn't stir as Ziva hugged her closely to her chest. Ziva began to head toward the stairs as Gibbs grabbed her hand gently.

"When I'm finished here, we're going to meet back at NCIS for a meeting with Director Shepard. We need to put our heads together and make some hard decisions."

Ziva nodded and disappeared up the stairs. Gibbs stared into space for a moment reflecting on things. He made a mental note to make some time later to talk with her. Something was definitely eating at her and knowing Ziva as well as he did, she would stuff it down instead of dealing with it. Ziva had come too far for him to allow her to do that. Gibbs turned and made eye contact with Tony. Tony sucked in his bottom lip briefly, and Gibbs knew that Tony also had noticed that Ziva wasn't herself. There was an unwritten bond between Ziva and Tony. No much slipped past him either when it came to Ziva or any of the team for the matter. They were a family, albeit an odd one, but family just the same.

Gibbs turned his attention to Abby, who was nestled in the sofa beside McGee hugging Bert. Gibbs would have smirked at her sheepish look if he wasn't so upset with her.

"Come with me, Abbs," said Gibbs, not unkindly. "I'm going to look for a lock for my door; you can help me install it."

Abby sat forward but didn't move right away. Gibbs could tell she was nervous to hear what he had to say to her privately. As far as he was concerned, she could squirm. She'd been pushing the envelope too far that last few days both personally and professionally. She was a forensics scientist, not a trained NCIS agent. She was taking advantage of him in more ways than one. Her taking off in the middle of the night was not something he would have ever guessed she'd do. She had some explaining to do.

"Tony and Tim, head back to the bullpen. Follow up on those leads we discussed earlier. Make sure Andrew makes it to interrogation in one piece."

Tim and Tony both rose to their feet acknowledging his order.

"Uh, Boss," began Tim, giving Gibbs an awkward glance towards Abb.

Gibbs nodded imperceptibly, trying to ease the young man's mind more than anything else. He knew Tim was as protective of Abby as Tony was of Ziva. But he also knew that his team knew the team lead was not going to do anything out of character. He had more than earned their trust.

"Go on, Tim. Abby will be fine." Gibbs glanced at his watch briefly. "I should be back in the bullpen in a couple of hours."

As Tony and Tim headed towards the door, Gibbs turned his attention back to Abby.

"C'mon, Abbs, get a move on." Gibbs started towards the stairs to his basement. As an afterthought, he turned on his heel and raised his voice towards Tony's back. "And, DiNozzo, get me some goddamned _competent_ people to guard the kids this time!"

"Yes, Boss," came the reply.

Gibbs disappeared down the stairs, knowing Abby would follow in her own time.

Once downstairs, Gibbs started scrounging around through boxes and drawers searching for a lock he could install on his bedroom door. It was going to make Aimee as mad as hatter but he'd had enough of her taking off. He needed to know she was safe and if locking his door while he slept would do that, he was prepared to face her ire. He pulled out a lower drawer on his workbench and he was pleased to find the perfect lock that he could install on the inside of a door. He pulled it out and set it on the bench then continued searching for another for the outside of the door. Until she proved trustworthy, he was determined that anytime that child was left unsupervised, her door would remain firmly locked. He also remembered a baby monitor that he'd once used when he was looking after his goddaughter; he'd put that in the room as well.

"Gibbs."

Gibbs looked up from his search to see that Abby had followed him and was standing to stare at him, looking extremely uncomfortable.

"Look in that closet under the stairs, Abbs. I think that's where I stashed the baby monitor," he said, pointing at the door and continuing his quest.

Abby didn't move but stood stock-still fidgeting with Bert who was still cuddled in her arms. Gibbs stopped and dropped his arms. His heart wouldn't allow him to ignore her any longer. She looked far too pathetic. Gibbs dropped his chin and chuckled in spite of his irritation. He could never stay angry with her very long. He never knew what it was about Abby that got under his skin so badly.

"C'mere," he said, opening his arms wide.

Abby rushed into his arms so quickly, it nearly knocked the wind from him. He grimaced slightly from the impact as he heard Bert fart in response. He held her tightly to his chest. No matter how many times he berated himself over not staying firm with her, he always failed. Sometimes he thought the Goth girl had cast a spell on him. There just wasn't any other logical reason why he always succumbed to her.

"How mad are you, Gibbs?"

"On a scale of one to ten?" he asked, mumbling into her dark hair.

He felt her nod. This morning he would have given a number way off the scale but now, he wasn't as upset. Time had passed. She was safe. He felt like wanted to throttle the bozo agent that had agreed to take her home more than he wanted to reprimand her.

"I'm not mad, Abby."

Abby pulled away and looked at him as if trying to size up if he was being truthful. Her quizzical look made him smile.

"I was furious this morning, though."

"I'm sorry, Gibbs…ugh, I know you don't like us to say that but, Gibbs, I am. I woke up and I was just so tired and cranky. I couldn't sleep because I didn't have Bert with me. You know I don't sleep well without him. That's why I always bring him to work every day in case I decide to sleep over at work when I'm working on a big case." Abby stopped to take a deep breath before continuing her explanation. "I never meant to worry you. I planned to wake up early and get back here before you even knew I was missing."

Gibbs held up his hand to stop her.

"Abbs, we both know that if you'd asked me to go home, I would have said no, right?"

He wanted to clarify things for both of them.

Abby chewed her lip pensively.

"Am I right?"

She nodded.

"The Bert excuse doesn't hold water, does it?"

She shook her head.

"Okay, have a seat. You and I need to come to a clear understanding right here and now because I've got to say, I don't have any more patience for this kind of nonsense."

Abby sat on a nearby stool, still hugging Bert under one arm. In the dim light with her characteristic pigtails, she looked about 16 years old.

"As of right now, you are officially off the clock. You are no longer working as a forensic scientist-"

Abby jumped to her feet. "You're firing me?" she asked incredulously.

Gibbs couldn't tell if she looked more hurt or angry.

"No, now listen!" His voice held a tone of scolding in it. "You should know better than that. You are an incredible scientist, Abbs. You know that. NCIS is damned lucky to have you."

Abby sat back on the stool, relief flooding her features.

"You're off this case. You are under protective custody until this case is finished, declared a cold case or until I say so." The last three words he emphasised much louder than the rest. "No exceptions. I don't want to be constantly worrying about you. So here are the rules, young lady," he paused to give her a penetrating look.

Abby chewed her lip.

"You don't go anywhere without telling me or the other agents in charge where you're going. You do not set foot in the Navy Yard or NCIS without me or one of the others being with you. When I'm not here, I wanna know that Janessa and Aimee are safe with you. You are not an agent, Abby."

He crossed the floor towards her and stood directly in front of her. He knew he was seen as a formidable man but he hoped that others could see his heart as well.

"As far as I'm concerned you're my daughter. Have been since the day I set eyes on you. I can't help the way I feel. My question is how do you see me? Am I just the crabby boss guy who brings you Caf-Pows or what? Tell me, Abbs."

Gibbs really wanted to know the answer to this question. He wasn't a man of flowery words. Hell, he wasn't even a man of many words. He just knew how he felt about her and the rest of his team for that matter. Maybe it was because he lost his wife and daughter so long ago that he had sought out a surrogate family or maybe not. All he knew was his feelings were real and genuine, and he wanted Abby to understand that his concern was authentic. He wasn't just being some controlling bastard.

Abby licked her bottom lip and blinked back tears that had sprung to her eyes.

"Gibbs," she whined, "Of course, you're not just my grouchy boss, although you can be pretty cranky some days."

Gibbs rolled his eyes in response. Leave to Abby to have a snappy comeback to his question even during an emotional moment. "Blame it on bad coffee," he groused, his eyes twinkling.

Abby smiled. "I've always looked at you like a surrogate father, Gibbs, especially after my own dad died. You know that." She mashed her lips together in the way only Abby could do. Her pensiveness mixed with uncertainty made Gibbs' stern stance melt once more.

He pulled her up off the chair and into a tight embrace.

"I love you, kid."

"I love you too, Gibbs."

They stood there quietly for several minutes in each other's arms just enjoying the moment before Gibbs finally pulled away. Then as more of an impulse than anything else, he reached out and smacked her backside firmly. Abby's eyes widened and she yelped in surprise.

Gibbs' eyes sparkled playfully. "Always keep my promises, Abbs. Now get that monitor for me."

He spun on his heel and went back to searching for another lock. He could feel her eyes burning into his back. He imagined her standing there in stunned silence and disbelief. He couldn't believe he'd smacked her either but he'd done it. He didn't regret it either. It felt like something he would have done to Kelly had she still been alive. It wasn't meant to be anything more than a playful reminder of his love. And he'd warned Abby more than once that it wouldn't be on her head.


	18. Chapter 18

_**A/N**_

 _ **Sorry readers...this is a chapter of cliffhangers but it had to be done :)**_

 _ **Is everyone done their Christmas shopping yet?**_

 _ **Enjoy!**_

Gibbs hesitated for a few moments and leaned on the wall outside the observation room. His mind was still reeling from the meeting with his team. He'd had a lot of frustrating cases in his career with NCIS; some if not most of them far more perplexing and more emotional than this one. He'd been shot, blown up, punched, kicked, hit by cars and probably a thousand other things he couldn't recall at the moment, but this case had kicked him square in the gut knocking him right on his ass. Perhaps it was because of all the dead ends, perhaps because it involved children, perhaps because it involved Abby or maybe he was just getting soft in his old age. Gibbs reached down to massage his left hip with a grimace. He had a huge bruise on his hip and down his left leg. He was walking with a slight limp and Advil wasn't even touching the deep ache he felt radiating up his back. He hadn't managed to catch more than a couple hours sleep the last few days, and he had a dull headache building up momentum between his eyes that even caffeine couldn't seem to numb. Gibbs leaned his head against the wall and felt tears burn in the back of his eyes. He was reaching a point of exhaustion, and he hated that his body was giving out on him. Pinching his nose hard, he closed his eyes and tried to gear himself up for whatever came next.

"I should order you to take a nap, Jethro."

Gibbs opened his eyes to see Jenny walking up behind him holding some paperwork in one hand and a coffee in the other. She handed him both with a concerned look on her face.

"Wouldn't work."

Jenn lifted a brow. "I could sic Ducky on you."

Gibbs rolled his eyes at the threat. Ducky would be a harder nut to crack it was true, but Gibbs wouldn't listen to him either. Of course, Gibbs knew Jenn knew that too. Since when did he listen to anyone?

Jenny tucked a lock of her auburn hair behind her ears. "This isn't the first case involving children, Jethro. What's eating at you?"

"Dunno, Jenn. I can't place my finger on it, but this case is driving me to drink." Gibbs took a long gulp of the coffee Jenn had given him. It was like healing nectar to him. Jenn knew exactly how he took his coffee. While she tended to tease him more times than naught, this time she had made him a strong brew. "Bourbon would have been nicer but this is damned good too."

Jenny smiled in response.

"So what's your plan of attack?"

Gibbs scanned through the file again briefly, reflecting on his meeting with his team. Tony was to play hardball to his Mr. Nice guy. Gibbs was affording Tony an hour of grueling interrogation, and Gibbs, true to his word to Aimee, was going to be the sympathetic one coming to his rescue.

"I promised Aimee I'd give the creep the benefit of the doubt so that's what I'm gonna do. I'm going to pretend that he isn't some sex starved child predator and talk to him in a civilized manner."

"Uh huh," said Jenn, skepticism in her voice and written all over her face.

"Jenn, I need to figure out who this imbecile is-"

"Says right there in black and white," Jenny poked at the paperwork in his hand. "His name is Serge Andrew. He's a cop with DCPD. He's been undercover on a kiddy porn investigation for two years. His superiors say he is one of their best."

Gibbs spun on his heel and entered the observation room, slamming the file folder onto the desk in irritation. Jenny followed him, shutting the door quietly and adjusting the light so they could see Tony and Andrew in Interrogation.

"Doesn't add up."

Gibbs had already read the report, spoken to Andrew's superiors and studied the man's work history. Nothing about the guy added up to what he had witnessed. In Gibbs mind, the guy wasn't telling them everything. Nothing would have made Gibbs point a gun a child and threaten to shoot her. Nothing.

Gibbs reached out and flipped the switch on the panel, flowing sound into the room. Tony was doing an impeccable job. This cop would have been used to being part of interrogations. They were using some of the lesser known techniques. _Damn_ , thought Gibbs as he watched Tony strut around the room, _the kid's good._ It had been awhile since Gibbs had seen Tony interrogate someone. _Scary good_. Tony was making the guy sweat profusely.

As Gibbs watched, Tony stood to his feet, whipped the table aside and sat directly in front of the suspect. It was a technique Gibbs himself had used numerous times with perps. It nearly made him flinch as Tony leaned right into the guy's face.

"Prove to me that you aren't just some love starved bastard who gets his jollies out of molesting little girls!" Tony's voice was intimidatingly impressive with a lingering threat in it.

"NO! Look, I've been following Aimee's case for nearly a year now. Her mother had no idea how low her husband had sunk. The guy was beating those kids whenever she wasn't home and blaming the goddamned injuries on childish clumsiness. Aimee told me numerous stories—"

"Why didn't you get her out then? You had her ISP number, didn't you? Cut and dry case."

"It's not that simple, Agent DiNozzo. C'mon, you worked for Baltimore PD for how many years? Nothing is ever cut and dry. You know that! We have to be careful to dot our i's and cross our t's just so. If we had rushed in, that might have driven them underground and where the hell would that have put Aimee?"

Gibbs could see the anger radiating from Tony. Tony was just as frustrated as Gibbs was at this point. Nothing the guy was saying made any sense. The police in these types of cases did not allow a child to be needlessly abused for a year because they were afraid to make a mistake and drive the family into hiding. They were experienced enough to know how to tread carefully. Everything the guy was saying was a load of crap. Not being able to take it anymore, Gibbs flicked off the sound and pounded his fist on the table.

"He must think we're a bunch of idiots. Hell, the guy isn't any older than Tony for Pete's sake. Even in my day, we didn't care a rat's ass if we might make a mistake. We moved fast if a child was in danger. Something else is going on!"

Jenny reached out and tried to soothe Gibb's with a caress on the arm.

"Getting all worked up isn't going to solve anything either, Jethro."

Gibbs pinched his nose again, feeling his nails dig into his skin this time. He had to calm down or he would never be able to play nice. He stood there for a couple of minutes staring at the two figures through the observation glass.

"Ah, to hell with this, I've had all I can take of this friggin nonsense."

Gibbs threw his hands up in exasperation as he strode out of the room heading towards the next.

"Jethro, you can't just-"

Gibbs turned on his heel and put a hand up to stop her from speaking further.

"I promise I will be a good little boy, Jenn. Go watch."

With those words, he disappeared around the corner and into the interrogation room with a short, brisk knock.

Gibbs entered the room masking his demeanor so that anyone watching from the other side of the glass would never be able to tell how pissed off he truly was. Hell, Gibbs thought he deserved an academy award for his acting. Just walking through the threshold of the door with a calm presence was a feat in itself but to appear congenial the way he was feeling inside was nothing short of miraculous.

"Back off, DiNozzo. You're intimidating our guest. Is that any way to treat a fellow law enforcement officer?"

Gibbs righted the table and walked to the corner of the room to collect chairs that had been tossed aside during Tony's tirade. It had been remarkable and Gibbs planned to commend Tony at a later time. For now, he allowed his grim face of admonishment to show, allowing the suspect to think Gibbs was upset with Tony.

"Get our guest something to drink and eat. You hungry Mr. Andrew?"

Andrew's eyes widened in bewilderment over the way Gibbs was acting towards him. Gibbs felt sure that out of all the possible ways he could have acted, Andrew hadn't expected kindness. Gibbs reputation preceded him. Anyone who was anyone within the field of criminal justice in the DC area was familiar with Leroy Jethro Gibbs.

Tony took a few steps backward towards the mirror in the room and faced it. Gibbs watched him rake an irritated hand through his dark hair in an attempt to calm down. Even though he'd been playing around as part of a ruse to get Andrews to come clean, Gibbs could tell Tony had a personal investment in the case as well. Damn it. No matter how hard they both tried to not get personally involved, they did anyways.

"You hard of hearing DiNozzo?"

"No, Boss," came the response, laced with bitter anger.

Gibbs licked his lips casting Andrew a pleasant enough look and walked towards Tony, placing a firm hand on his back. For all appearances, to Andrew, it looked like Gibbs was going to give him a tongue lashing which Gibbs did, in fact, carry out, but the compassionate look in his blue-gray eyes told Tony another story. Gibbs knew Tony was struggling. After a few mumbling words, Tony disappeared out the door. Gibbs turned with an apologetic look for his guest, but his mind was saying "game on."

"I apologise for my agent, Mr. Andrew. It's been a difficult week for us all. I'm sure you understand."

Gibbs sat on the corner of the table, crossing his arms. As much as he wanted to appear friendly, he couldn't force himself to sit and make nice with the man like they were comrades. His body language was stiffer than he intended but he still was being far more good-natured that he thought possible.

Andrew pulled his sports jacket closer to him in an apparent need to straighten it. It was reminiscent of a rooster preening his feathers after a cockfight. Gibbs had to struggle hard not to stuff his fist down the cocky bastard's throat.

"I would have thought my superiors would've told you all you needed to know by now, Agent Gibbs. There is nothing more to say on the matter. Now, am I under arrest or am I free to go?"

Gibbs lifted a brow. "Indulge me for a few more minutes if you would be so kind, Mr. Andrew. Little Aimee told me that you told her you were playing a game with me. She said you told her to play along and look frightened. She did a damned good job too because I was believed it."

Gibbs was a profiler. He was adept at reading people. It wasn't very often he was stumped by anyone. Watching Andrew's face change in front of him was not what he expected. At the mention of Aimee's name and the so-called game, the man's face paled.

"It was the only way to get her to cooperate. Kids like games…" His voice trailed off as he stared into space.

Gibbs nodded. "Yah, they do at that." Gibbs continued to stare at the man.

"I didn't want her to be afraid."

"I don't buy it."

"Pardon me?"

Gibbs rose to his feet, putting his hands in his pockets. "You made me believe you would shoot that little girl if I didn't let you go. You knew we could take you down in a heartbeat, yet you didn't seem to let that bother you one iota. It was like you were betting on the fact we wouldn't kill you. Why is that?"

Andrew's face whitened more. Gibbs narrowed his eyes critically watching the man's behavioral changes. The man was squirming. In fact, the guy was beginning to sweat again. Gibbs' own hands were cold. The room wasn't exactly what he'd call warm.

"You think I'm dirty, doncha?"

Gibbs paced in front of the mirror for several moments more before stopping to look at Andrew. He was imagining Jenny and Tony's face staring at him wondering where his line of questioning was going.

"Aimee trusts you. I want to know why."

Andrew appeared perplexed. "That bastard, Percy, was a real piece of work. If you think I'm a predator, you haven't seen a real one, Agent Gibbs…"

"Trust me, Andrew, I've seen some dandies in my time," retorted Gibbs.

"So have I and trust me when I say, Percy was a bloody pig. Some of the stories Aimee told me broke my heart."

Gibbs felt a growl growing deep down in his throat and before he could control it, it seeped out as he strode across the room and leaned in towards Andrew.

"Yet you left her alone with that bastard for over a damned year from what your case files state. What the hell does that make you? I don't even want to allow myself to speculate how much abuse she survived and you knew about it and did nothing!"

Gibbs slammed his fist on the table. All pretenses were gone. His anger had been building up for days and he couldn't stay calm any longer. He was about to explode.

Andrew jumped and held his hands up in protest.

"My hands were tied! I couldn't make a move without compromising-"

"Just stop the goddamned excuses and cut to the chase here."

Gibbs was close to upending the table.

Andrew's hands were shaking as he lowered them. His face was ghostly white now.

"I had no choice."

Gibbs lost his last nerve at that point. He picked up the chair beside him and whipped it at the wall over Andrew's head. He had reached the end of his rope.

"Don't give me that, you son of a bitch. You always have a goddamned choice!"

Andrew jumped to his feet backing himself well away from Gibbs. Gibbs could see the fear in the man's eyes. Gibbs reeled himself back, forcing himself to back off. So much for being pleasant. Gibbs figured he didn't have much nice left in him when it came to predators of any kind. Andrew swallowed hard a couple of times before taking a few steps towards Gibbs. Gibbs narrowed his eyes and cast a death glare at the man but the guy kept walking until he literally bumped into him. Gibbs felt something being forced into his hand before Andrew backed away.

"I was just following orders, Agent Gibbs. Nothing more. Nothing less. I have nothing else to say to you. Either release me or get me a lawyer. I'm finished here."

With those words, Andrew sat down and stared at his hands.

Gibbs felt his temper flare up again but he also fingered the paper in his hand. What the hell was going on here? He flung the chair close to him towards the back wall and stormed out of the room without another word. He was curious what Andrew had stuffed into his hand. He'd deal with that first before he continued any further.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Abby brushed the rest of the flour into the garbage and wiped her hands on her apron. She turned to see two flour covered little girls giggling in her midst. They had decided to bake some cookies to pass the time to surprise Gibbs when and if he made it back home. Abby's thoughts had been running rampant since her earlier conversation with Gibbs. She had tried to push her emotions aside but it was becoming increasingly difficult for her. More than once since Gibbs had left, Abby had brushed tears away from her eyes. She felt a mixture of hurt and confusion over their talk. It wasn't because she felt unloved. There was no doubt in her mind that Gibbs loved her. Even more so now, she released just how much he did love her. But the fact he'd actually swatted her had hurt her feelings. It wasn't so much that she felt he was being inappropriate. This was Gibbs. He wouldn't do anything perverse. It was the fact that he had felt the need to do it in the first place. Sure, he had threatened to do it, but she never thought he would. After all, she wasn't a goof like Tony. Gibbs head slapped Tony and even McGee or Ziva sometimes but never her. She drifted between emotions and really longed to talk with Gibbs again. She hated that she felt so needy. Lately, she couldn't figure out why she'd been feeling so clingy. It was like she was just craving to spend more time with him. Maybe it was because she didn't get to see him as much since the whole case began. Being banned from her work at NCIS gave her too much time on her hands and too much time alone in her own head. It was never good for her to spend too much time in her own head. That was partially the reason why she played her music so loudly when she was alone in her lab.

"Are the cookies all cooked yet, Abby?" asked Janessa, pulling Abby from her thoughts.

Abby walked to the stove and peeked inside.

"Not quite, sweetie. Come see."

Abby ushered the little girl over to peek inside the window. The oven was impeccably clean for an old stove. Abby figured it had been a long time since Gibb's oven had been used to bake cookies or bake anything for that matter. In fact, Abby knew that Gibbs chose to use his BBQ or even the fireplace to cook his food. More times than not, Gibbs would eat out or just opt for a bowl of cereal. It was surprising the man was still in such good health for how much he abused his body.

"Are you sure Mr. Gibbs even likes oatmeal cookies?"

Abby smiled. "Well, he likes oatmeal so I think it's a safe bet."

Janessa smiled. She pulled herself up onto a chair and sighed impatiently.

"It sure takes a long time for cookies to cook. I'm bored.

"I know it's boring just sitting in the house all day," acknowledged Abby with sympathy in her voice. "I'll tell you what. Once the cookies are done, why don't we bring some of them to Gibb's neighbour, Mrs. Finnegan? Gibbs told me her dog had puppies a few weeks ago."

Abby watched Janessa's eyes light up and the child jumped off the chair in excitement.

"Oh yes, please. Puppies! I love them," she said squealing in delight.

Abby couldn't help but laugh as Janessa starting skipping around the room singing a made up song about puppies. It didn't take her long to skip out of the kitchen after the agents in the other room. Abby walked towards Aimee who had pulled away from them and was staring out the window.

"What are you thinking about Ma'am?" asked Abby, reaching out to caress the girl's hair.

Aimee shrugged. "Nothing really. I guess I'm worried about Andrew."

Abby continued stroking her hair gently. "Gibbs keeps his promises, Aimee. He said he'd be nice, right?"

Aimee nodded. "I know."

"Well, what's the problem? Has he been unkind to you?"

Aimee shook her head.

"I'm not like Nessie, Abby. I can't be sidetracked by puppies."

Abby felt her heart skip a beat. Aimee might have been nine years old but sometimes it felt like the little girl was much older. It was a sad story.

"Well, I'm not Nessie either but I can be sidetracked."

Abby slipped the oven mitts on her hands and pulled the cookies out of the oven.

"The cookies are perfect. Let's wash our faces and go see the puppies."

Aimee sighed out loud and conceded. "Okay."

Several hours passed as Abby and the girls visited Gibbs' neighbour and the puppies. Abby had been right. The visit had been good for all of them. It was a distraction and made all of them smile including Mrs. Finnegan who was a lonely widow. Abby's heart swam with happiness when she realised the older lady was just as thankful for them as they were for her. Sometimes when you are stuck in a bad situation you forget other people might be hurting as well. Abby found her mind on Gibbs once more. Was he hurting as well? Working with children always reminded her faithful leader about his birth daughter. Gibbs always tried to hide his feelings. Abby usually saw right through it. Abby's mind continued to wander as she began to hurry the girls back towards Gibbs house after their visit.

Abby had managed to convince the agents babysitting them to watch from a little farther away. Actually, she had threatened them but it was all the same to her. Having two agents following them everywhere they went was more than a little annoying. Gibbs already had Andrew in custody as well as Richter. There was no reason to worry about her or the girls.

Abby grasped the small hands of the two little girls as they began to cross the street back to Gibbs house. As they stepped onto the street, Aimee suddenly yanked her hand away.

"I forgot my hair elastic."

"I have more in my bag, Aimee. No worries."

"No, it's okay, I can get it."

Before Abby could stop her, Aimee took off back towards the house, disappearing inside.

Abby sighed and pulled Janessa back to the curb to wait. Just then a vehicle came around the corner with darkened windows. Abby moved back further, pulling Janessa up into her arms. She couldn't help it, her instincts were telling her to be on alert. Her eyes flew to the agent watching her from Gibbs' front porch. The man was on his feet as well, whispering into his coat. Abby knew he was well geared up to communicate with all the other agents on duty. Abby turned her head to see if Aimee had come back out but she saw nothing. The car slowed down as it approached her causing Abby to get very concerned. There was no way she could stop anyone from grabbing them when she was holding Janessa. Not knowing what else to do, Abby took off running towards the agents. The car picked up speed and cut Abby off. Two men in masks jumped out of the car and grabbed her.

"Let me go!" screamed Abby as Janessa was roughly ripped from her arms and shoved in the darkened vehicle.

From the corner of her eye, Abby saw several agents scurry across the road towards them with weapons ready but it was for naught. Several rounds of gunfire went off but Abby still felt herself being shoved into the vehicle after Janessa. A few seconds later someone placed a rag over her mouth and everything went black.


	19. Chapter 19

_**Merry Christmas!**_

Gibbs stormed out of the interrogation room still holding tight to the crumpled piece of paper that had been forced into his hand. He couldn't forget the pleading look on the man's face. It didn't make any more sense than the rest of the situation. Anger was still radiating from Gibbs and it was all he could do to keep from punching the wall. He felt a firm hand on his shoulder and looked up to see Tony's compassionate eyes staring at him.

"You ok, Gibbs?"

Gibbs. Tony didn't call him that very often. It held a nice ring to it in that moment.

Gibbs nodded. "Yah, I'm ok. What about you?"

Tony's face held a grim expression. "Angry as hell."

Gibbs understood that anger because it burned deep within him too.

"It showed. Damn, DiNozzo, when did you get so good at that?"

The praise melted the younger man's downcast countenance.

"I mean it, Tony. It was impressive."

Tony's face flushed. Gibbs knew the younger man was pleased by the praise but also embarrassed at the same time. Anyone who knew Gibbs knew he wasn't one to offer praise lightly. It had to be earned and earned well.

"Still hasn't gotten us anywhere."

Gibbs grimaced. It was true, they hadn't gotten anywhere, but Gibbs had a hunch that the note in his hand might shed some light. He also felt like he needed to keep it under wraps. Something in Andrew's odd behaviour demanded some level of secrecy.

Gibbs placed a warm hand on Tony's shoulder. "Come with me."

Tony narrowed his eyes in confusion briefly before following Gibbs towards the elevator. Gibbs' infamous gut was telling him to seek some privacy before revealing the crumpled paper in his hand. Gibbs led the way and both men entered the lift; as the cage began its descent, Gibbs reached out and pressed the emergency stop button. In the dimly lit space, Gibbs held out the paper towards Tony.

"What is it?"

"Dunno yet. Andrew shoved it into my hand."

Tony squint a perplexed eye as he reached out and took the paper, opening and reading it. Gibbs watched his facial expressions change as he did so. It didn't take long for Gibbs to know that it wasn't something pleasant.

"Well?" he prodded.

He could have read it for himself first but in his weariness, he was willing to forego it.

Tony bit his lip. "There's a fungus amongst us." Tony's voice was low and his words were mumbled. Gibbs felt that the man was likely talking to himself more so than him in that moment.

Gibbs frowned. "What?"

"NCIS has a mole, Boss."

Gibbs felt his blood run cold. Visions of a young Asian woman flooded his mind. They'd had a mole before, and he wasn't stupid enough to believe it couldn't happen again. Last time he'd had the unpleasant task of taking her life. It had ripped a part of his heart out. Letting someone into your life as a colleague or, perhaps, even a friend made the betrayal feel worse.

Of course, it certainly made sense. Andrew had been dancing around everything they asked him. If he was afraid to speak for fear of being found out by the mole, or for fear of the mole getting classified information, then it made perfect sense why the guy would be skirting around the issues. Gibbs trusted his team. Tony, Tim, and Ziva had earned his trust. Gibbs trusted Jenny. They had history and didn't always get along but she'd earned his trust. Gibbs trusted Ducky. They'd been friends and colleagues for longer than he remembered. Pretty much anyone else in NCIS was now under his scrutiny for the time being. That made things hard.

"What else does it say?"

Gibbs looked up to see Tony with a hint of a smirk dancing on his lips.

"Not a word about my eyesight, DiNozzo."

"Would I do that?" asked Tony, looking innocent.

Gibbs' mouth formed a half grin as he reached up and lightly smacked the back of Tony's head. Tony winced dramatically like he always did making Gibbs shake his head. He was glad Tony was his friend. The man brought him joy even at the darkest of times.

Tony held the note towards Gibbs. "Says that Aimee is the key to everything."

Gibbs took the note and squinted at it. The dim light in the elevator didn't help matters.

It read: _NCIS has a mole. Aimee is the key to something more heinous that you know. You must protect her at all costs._

Gibbs looked up at Tony. "What the hell is that to supposed to mean?"

"Your guess is as good as mine."

Gibbs felt his phone in his pocket vibrate briefly before ringing out loud. He was surprised by the sound considering he rarely got service in the elevator. He reached into his pocket to fish the item out, flipping the old relic open and putting it to his ear.

"Yah, Gibbs."

Gibbs felt his knees go weak and the colour drain from his face as he listened to the voice on the other end inform him of Abby and Janessa's kidnapping. He felt like he had been catapulted into some kind of an alternate reality where suddenly no NCIS agent knew how to stand guard and keep victims safe anymore. How could Abby and Janessa be snatched out from under the watchful eyes of three trained agents? It was simply ludicrous.

"Where's Aimee?" snapped Gibbs furiously, knowing he was shooting the messenger. At the moment, his irritation and anger were speaking abundantly clear. A hysterical screech in the background answered his question. The agent talking to him did his best to speak over Aimee's frantic screams.

Gibbs mind began to quickly calculate his next moves. He began to prioritize his options and then after several seconds of silence, he barked his orders into his cell before crossly flipping the phone closed. Gibbs stood to face a very confused Tony as his mind digested the current state of events. Reaching out, Gibbs hit the start button and the elevator started to move once again.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Abby's eyes fluttered as she reached up to massage her aching head. She felt her pulse throbbing in her temples and, even as her eyes blinked involuntarily, she moaned in pain trying to remember what had happened. Several seconds after her eyes began to focus enough to see around her, events came flooding back to her mind. Her heart rate picked up as she forced herself to sit up, groaning at the intense pain she felt in her head. Abby moved her head around, straining her eyes to see in the darkness of her environment. Even as her mind began to understand her own vulnerability, her heart immediately began to panic over the whereabouts of Janessa. She licked her parched lips several times before attempting to speak.

"Nessie," she whispered, her voice coming out as a croak.

She cleared her dry throat and tried again.

"Janessa, where are you?"

Abby strained her ears listening to the sounds in the darkness. It was so dark she couldn't see her hand in front of her face. The room seemed to be devoid of any light whatsoever. Abby pulled herself to her feet, trying to swallow the panic that was rising within her. She started to feel around the room not really knowing what she was trying to accomplish. Her fingers desperately searched around for something familiar until she felt a cool breeze kissing her fingertips. An entrance perhaps? But, still, no light seemed to penetrate the darkness. How could it be so dark? How long had she been unconscious? She strained her ears to hear anything around her. It seemed impossible that she couldn't hear or see anything. She shivered in the pitch blackness and slid her back down the wall until she was sitting on the cold, hard concrete floor once more. Tears flooded her eyes as she sat shaking in fear. Where was she?

Suddenly the room was engulfed in light and Abby shielded her eyes as pain penetrated her head once again. The brightness was a shock to her system, temporarily blinding her.

"Get up!" said a gruff, eerie voice.

"W-Where's the little girl?" stammered Abby, attempted to stall off whomever it was that was now in the room with her. She needed time to regain her vision.

She felt herself being roughly pulled to her feet.

"Shut-up! You don't get to ask the questions, bitch."

Abby grimaced, blinking hard in the bright light that now filled the room. Her eyes were watering, but she was able to make out that she was in a shed of some sort. She felt her heart rate increase as she was manhandled and jostled coarsely and shoved out the door into the bright sunlight. She stumbled to her knees only to be yanked up by her hair.

"Oww," she whimpered only to be smartly smacked in the mouth.

"Shut-up!" yelled the tall, grey-haired man who continued to drag her towards a broken down house.

Abby blinked back tears as she willed herself to stay calm. Panic was brewing on the surface so she reached into the analytical part of her mind and forced herself to scrutinise everything and everyone around her. Her eyes quickly caught sight of the tattoos on the man causing her blood to run cold. MS-13 tattoos were hard to miss. The man was older than she, probably in his late 40s and she didn't recognise him. His breath smelled of cheap cigars and alcohol. Her eyes quickly scanned her surroundings as he continued to roughly drag her towards the eerie-looking dwelling. She didn't recognise anything. She seemed to be out in the middle of nowhere. There were no landmarks to be seen, just a rickety old house, shed and broken down barn planted out in the middle of God knows where. Abby felt her heart drop in unbridled fear. Gibbs and the rest of the team would never be able to find her or Janessa. How could she have been so stupid to believe that she'd been safe?

The brusque man gave her one last shove towards the door.

"Brandt, open the door!" he yelled.

The door was yanked open from the inside and Abby was shoved so hard inwards that she stumbled and fell to the floor. Grimacing from the impact, she felt her hands stinging as she glanced around the room. Looking at her hands, she realised that they had been scraped and cut from being so roughly shoved onto the uneven floorboards. The man, Brandt, pulled her to feet more gently while cursing expletives at his companion. Abby bit her lip to keep from sobbing outright. The gentleness of Brandt was in raw contrast to how she'd been treated thus far. Her eyes briefly met his, begging for mercy, but Brandt curtly turned himself away from her. Abby dropped her chin in discouragement only to notice Janessa lying motionless on the floor in front of her.

"I-Is she…" She tripped over her words as she desperately searched for a sign that the little girl was alive.

"She'll be fine, Miss Sciuto, as long as you cooperate," said a congenial voice from behind her.

Abby spun around on her heel to see a nicely dressed man enter the room. Abby searched her head to place a name to the face that seemed so familiar to her. Her mouth dropped open in sudden recognition.

"You!"

The dapper, older man lips formed an unnerving smile as he walked towards her.

"I see you recognise me. Very good. It makes life much easier when friends meet to do business now, doesn't it?" The man took a seat in the nearby chair in the dirty room. He seemed so out of place, dressed neatly in a full suit and tie. He looked like he should be attending a formal affair, rather than sitting in front of her in a rundown old farmhouse.

"You're a hard women to pin down, Abigail. Jethro Gibbs keeps a tight rein on you, but from reading about your propensity for mischief and trouble, I can see why."

Abby furrowed her brow intently trying to ascertain if she was part of some sick joke or if she was indeed seeing who she saw standing before her. Before she could stop herself, Abby lurched forward attempting to attack the man in front of her.

"You bastard!" screamed Abby but was stopped forcefully by the same grey-haired ruffian who had so forcefully dragged her from the darkened shed. "I trusted you!" Abby fought against the restraining hands only to be harshly smacked in the mouth and knocked off her feet once more.

"Enough of that, Mulligan!" growled Brandt, stepping in front of her almost protectively. Mulligan shoved Brandt backward, nearly upending the man. A look of blind hatred was plastered on his face.

Abby blinked back grateful tears, wondering why Brandt was being so kind to her.

"Enough you two clowns. Miss Sciuto will cooperate once she realises what's at stake, won't you, my dear. She's a civilised woman," replied the well-dressed gentleman with a genteel smirk.

Abby pulled herself up while turning a worried eye towards Janessa who remained still.

"So help me, if you hurt her…" threatened Abby in a low voice.

"Relax, my dear. I'm not a barbarian. Besides, she will be no good to my clients if she's dead, now, will she?"

Abby felt a shudder run through her at the word client. Things were becoming abundantly clear to her now. She looked at the man addressing her. His name suddenly came to her. Russell Fagan. The man she had befriended so many years ago when she'd been so young. Over the years they had kept in touch, with Abby discussing details of forensic cases with him by emails and skype, never thinking twice about sharing classified information with him because of his obscurity to her life.

"You will serve a useful purpose for us, Abby. A woman of your caliber is a treasured commodity."

"You? It was you who blew up my hearse?"

Abby was stunned. It didn't make any sense to her why he'd do that. Russell Fagan was a reputable attorney who lived in SoCal, literally thousands of miles from her. He wasn't some thug who would kidnap her and threaten her. Abby blinked her eyes in disbelief.

"Why? Why would you do that to me?"

Fagan chuckled. "You're such an easy target, Abby. So trusting, so enlightening. Thanks to you, I've been able to get such a thorough insider's look into NCIS and all its internal structures. You made it so easy to get my men inside. Like child's play really.

Abby shivered again, her lips trembling. She didn't want to think about what he was saying. It was all too much to comprehend. Even if she had revealed classified information about cases she had worked on throughout the years, she'd never once spoken about anything classified about NCIS itself. No one could have forced to do that under any circumstance. She knew how crucial it was to keep the inner workings of NCIS confidential.

"I never told you anything about NCIS, Russell."

Fagan smiled coyly as he crossed his legs. "No, no, of course not; Abigail Sciuto wouldn't jeopardize her career like that, now, would she? But your computer was very telling."

Abby brought a hand to her face as the blood drain from her face. Her home computer was encrypted like Fort Knox but certain chat and text programs could erode her security measures. She was always meticulously careful with everyone, but Russell had been such an old, trusted friend. It never dawned on her to worry about him betraying her.

Abby swallowed hard. "Let Janessa go. She's just a little girl."

Fagan smiled coolly. "She's not who we wanted but she will go for a tidy sum."

"W-what are you talking about?"

Fagan's smile faded and his eyes darkened. "I think you know. Now, then, let's cut the small talk and move onto business, shall we? I have an important business function to attend and, well, you know the saying, time and tide waits for no man."

Abby's blood ran cold. "What do you want from me, Russell?"

Fagan's features changed and he walked closer to her, invading her personal bubble with no remorse on his face.

"Aimee Percy."

Abby's face paled. "How do you know Aimee?"

"She's the key to everything."

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Gibbs arrived back to his place as quickly as possible. Protocol had been put into motion as the proper channels were accessed to find Abby and Janessa. Gibbs was too furious to even interrogate the agents on duty. Tony had offered to do the honours much to Gibbs relief. Once they arrived on the scene, it became abundantly clear to Gibbs that his hands were going to be full with Aimee anyway. Gibbs entered his house to see Aimee being restrained by a female agent. The woman looked out of her league as Aimee kicked and screamed, pitching a hysterical fit. Gibbs' heart went out to the small girl. Her life had been a virtual world wind of chaos and turmoil for days on end, one thing happening after another. The poor kid had more than reached her limit. Gibbs' felt his heart pinch when he saw that the little girl had managed to wiggle herself out of her t-shirt in her rage and was unclothed from the waist up. Gibbs gathered her up into his arms and immediately whisked her up the stairs to his bedroom, feeling the twinges of Deja vu from earlier in the day. More than anything he just wanted to wrap her up in his arms and tell her that everything was going to be alright.

"Lemme go!" she screeched, pummeling his back furiously.

Gibbs couldn't help but admire her sheer tenacity and willpower. If she'd been screaming and struggling for as long as it took him to arrive back home, she must have broken some kind of record for a temper tantrum.

Once inside the room, he used his foot to shut the door and he braced himself against the door, sliding his back down the wall onto the floor. He gently wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly, softly rocking and speaking to her. Minutes passed as she fought against him but in time, he felt her relax and begin sobbing softly. Gibbs loosened his embrace and began to rub her back soothingly as her sobs turned to hiccups. As he rubbed circular motions on her pale ivory skin, something strange caught his attention. In the middle of her shoulder blades, he saw what looked like a tattoo of a barcode of some sort. He narrowed his eyes, wondering if Aimee had leaned against something enabling a barcode to be transferred to her skin. His thumb ran softly against the mark but didn't smear or rub away.

"They took Nessie, Gibbs," whimpered Aimee.

"I know, Aims."

"You've got to get 'er back. She's too little to be by herself."

Gibbs kissed the top of her head. "We'll do our best, Aims, I promise you that."

He felt the little girl nod under his chin as her body continued to tremble with an occasional hiccup racking her small frame. Slowly she gained her equilibrium going almost limp in his arms.

"Aimee?"

A sniffle was his reply but the girl made no effort to respond to her name.

"What's this mark on your back?"

He felt the child stiffen under his touch and suddenly pull away from him, crawling across the floor to the furthest wall. Gibbs furrowed his brow in concern at her response. Aimee curled up, pulling her knees up to her chin and wrapping her arms around her legs.

"Hey, what's this about? Answer my question."

Her blue eyes still shimmered with tears and she shook her head adamantly.

"It's none of your business!" Her voice held a biting tone to it almost making Gibbs want to back off, but something deep within him felt he needed to know the answer.

Gibbs rose to his feet and walked over beside Aimee, sliding down to the floor beside her. She glared at him but didn't move away.

"Why don't you want to tell me?"

"Cuz I don't."

Gibbs pulled his knees up to get more comfortable. "Why not?" he prodded.

Aimee shifted away from him somewhat. "Stop asking me, or I'm gonna punch you."

"No, you won't."

"Yes, I will!"

"Nope."

Aimee jumped to her feet and shook her fist at him, her whole body shaking in anger.

"Yes, I will!"

Gibbs reached up gently and took her clammy hands in his.

"No, you won't, and do you want to know how I know that?"

Aimee worried her lip but didn't say anything. Her hands were stiff in his.

"I know because you are a good person, and you wouldn't hurt anyone on purpose."

Gibbs let his words sink in before he continued speaking.

"You can trust me, Aims. I will always do what I say and say what I mean. You can count on that. I spoke to your friend, Andrew and I was nice to him." Gibbs felt the words burn in his throat. A little white line wouldn't hurt at this point and as far as Gibbs was concerned he had been nice to the imbecile. If Gibbs hadn't been _nice,_ the guy wouldn't have still been able to walk upright. "I think I've earned the right to have your trust, haven't I?"

Aimee looked at him skeptically but Gibbs felt her hands relax somewhat in his own.

"How did you get that tattoo on your back?"

"Jonathan…er…my daddy, I mean, did it."

Gibbs felt his eyebrows shoot up into his hairline as a pained look flooded his features. He didn't mean for it to be so apparent but he couldn't help it. Why would anyone subject a child to a tattoo? It was a painful enough for an adult. He should know; he'd watched Abby come into work more times than he could count with a new one. He couldn't understand her fascination with them, but he knew that they could be excruciating depending on the placement. Somehow, he thought that one done between your shoulder blades would be painful for a child.

"Why would he do that?"

Aimee shrugged her tiny shoulders and then shivered. Gibbs released her hands and scooped her up in his arms once more. Before she could protest, he sat on the bed and wrapped her in a blanket that lay on his bed.

"You shouldn't have pitched such a fit earlier, Squirt, and you'd still have your shirt on. You have a temper little one. Warmer now?"

She nodded and nestled into him.

"Oh, Aims, that must have hurt a lot."

She nodded again. The child was shrouded in mystery and it was killing him not knowing. He slid her sideways so he could see her face. It was beyond frustrating trying to get information from her. It was like pulling teeth in some respects.

"Tell me how it happened." His cobalt eyes peered kindly into hers.

Tears filled her eyes as she blinked hard. "He took me to this garage and another man did it. He said I couldn't tell anyone. If he flashes a wand at it, it beeps and all these numbers and pictures go on the computer."

Gibbs pulled her closer, rubbing her arms gently, more out of nervous energy than anything else. This must be what Andrew was talking about. Aimee was the key. The tattoo on her back held information that everyone wanted and it was important enough that Aimee's family was killed to get to it. Aimee didn't need to be alive for that barcode to work either. Gibbs felt his blood run cold as he realised that Aimee was in more danger than he even knew.


	20. Chapter 20

_**A/N- HAPPY NEW YEAR! WOW 2017 already? Time is flying!**_

 ** _Sorry that my update has taken so long to get out to you, but life has been so busy. Christmas, family, get-togethers and my children keeping me busy. Don_**

 ** _Hope you enjoy this next chapter. It's short but hopefully intriguing. :)_**

Gibbs watched as Tim continued to tinker around with the computer program. If anyone could figure out the barcode on Aimee's back, he had faith it would be Tim. Gibbs kept one hand on Aimee as she fidgeted around on the desk. He didn't want her to fall; he knew already they were reaching the girl's limit and soon would need to take a break. The more time Gibbs spent with Aimee, the more he got to know her personality quirks. She had a short fuse and, in some ways, reminded him a lot of himself. She was also unpredictable, and he just never knew what she was going to do next. It had come to a point where he didn't trust her out of his sight anymore, and that made his job that much more difficult. He couldn't spend all his time babysitting her. He had a job to do. Unfortunately, he didn't trust anyone else outside his team to watch Aimee any longer. She was more than just an impulsive child; she was a flight risk and, pretty much, walking evidence.

"Anything, McGee?"

Tim looked up with a look of frustration on his face. "I'm sorry, Boss. The encryption on this might as well be congressional. The watchdogs have watchdogs. I can't decode or break through any of it."

Aimee huffed and angrily pulled at her shirt. Gibbs pulled his hand away from her sweater and allowed her to pull it down around her waist once more.

"I told you. You have to use a special stick. That thing," she pointed at the wand McGee held in his hand, "isn't the right one. It supposed to be like the one in a grocery store."

Aimee slid off the desk and shoved Gibbs away with a cross expression on her face.

"You're wasting time. You need to find my sister."

Gibbs dropped his hand away from the feisty kid in front of him. She was a force to be reckoned with on a good day but since Janessa went missing, she'd become impossible.

"Tony and Ziva have been out half the night, Aims. They're following every clue we have…"

Aimee stomped her foot irritably. "It's not good enough!"

Gibbs sighed as he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. Being controlled by the tiny dictator hadn't been on his docket. He reached out, grabbed her by the arm before she could take off out of his sight and answered his phone.

"Yah, Gibbs," he said more gruffly than he intended. He shot Aimee a look when she tried to pull away. She reluctantly stopped moving and dropped her shoulders, seeming to reconcile herself to the fact she was trapped. Gibbs listened for several minutes without saying anything. Tony was detailing what he and Ziva had uncovered about the vehicle involved in the kidnapping.

"Come back to the bullpen, both of you. You need a break."

Gibbs listened as Tony began to protest his order.

"Not a request, DiNozzo."

With those words, Gibbs dropped his phone back into his pocket. He was worried about Abby and Janessa. The more time that passed meant the trail became colder. The longer they were missing with no leads, the more possibility of losing them forever. Gibbs shivered at the thought. He felt completely useless, and he hated the feeling. Gibbs walked over to his desk and brought up the information that Tony had forwarded to him. The screen came to life with a picture of the van.

"Stolen," commented Gibbs, crossing his arms.

"Of course it is," mumbled Tim. He raked his hand through his hair before pounding his fist on his desk. Gibbs chewed the inside of his lip while staring at Tim. He could tell the man was just as weary as he felt.

"When was the last time you slept, McGee?"

Tim scowled. "What?"

"Go to the director's office and get some shut eye, Tim. Jenny's already gone for the day."

"What? No, Boss. I have too much to do. I need to find something that will break that code…"

Gibbs held up his hand to stop Tim from speaking anymore. His stern, almost fatherly look stopped Tim from uttering any other words that still remained on his tongue. Turning to the fidgeting, overtired girl in their midst, Gibbs pointed a finger at her.

"Take her with you. She needs some sleep too."

Aimee narrowed her eyes. "I'm not even tired."

"Then lie on the sofa and stay awake. But, you're going with Tim, now scoot."

Tim dropped his shoulders reached for Aimee's hand. The girl pulled away belligerently.

"What are _you_ gonna do?" she asked Gibbs who was still frowning at her, poking a finger at him.

"Wait for Tony and Ziva and debrief."

"Then I'm gonna wait too."

Gibbs sighed. He didn't have any energy left to argue with the kid. He nodded at Tim who disappeared towards the stairs. At least, one of them would be clear headed in a couple of hours. Maybe then Tim could watch Aimee while he took a turn at closing his eyes.

Gibbs sat at his desk and continued to stare at his monitor. From the corner of his eye, he watched Aimee sit in McGee's chair.

"How are you holding up, Squirt?"

She shrugged her shoulders. Aimee picked at the silicon bracelet on her arm absentmindedly. Gibbs sat up more in his chair. He hadn't noticed the bracelet before. It looked like one of the gadgets that he'd seen in Abby's lab before; one of her tracking devices that she had been playing around with for the last couple of years. He knew that she had been trying to patent the design so parents could use them to keep track of their children as a type of GPS of sorts. He thought that Abby had given up on the idea because of the short battery life and not knowing how to get around that aspect of the design.

"Hey, where'd you get that bracelet?"

Aimee twisted the purple flowered band on her arm. "Abby gave one to me and Janessa. She said they're friendship bracelets. Kinda girlie huh?"

Gibbs rose to his feet suddenly. Friendship bracelets - his great Aunt Ida, Abby had given that band to Aimee to help keep track of her. Had Abby been in the room at that moment, Gibbs would have kissed her. Gibbs scooped up Aimee under his right arm much to her shock and took off up the stairs two at a time towards Jenn's office. McGee was going to have to wait on his nap. If his hunch was correct, Abby had given them a GPS signal that would lead them right to her location.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Abby pulled her legs up tight to her midsection, swallowing the sobs that were burning her throat. She couldn't stop trembling and shaking, not from being cold but from absolute terror and pain. Fagan had long since left, leaving her and Janessa behind. Abby was grateful for that at any rate. She's been fearful that Fagan would have taken Janessa with him. She figured that the man hadn't counted on the additional bargaining chip. Janessa still hadn't gained consciousness and that worried Abby. She didn't know if the little girl had been drugged or injured. Abby had long since given up hope that Gibbs or the rest of the team would ever find them. Looking down at her hands, she could see them trembling and all covered in blood. Her blood. Fagan had had Mulligan cut each of her fingers one by one with a razor blade until she told him everything he wanted to know about Aimee. Then he had proceeded to snap her two index fingers. Abby drew her hands into her chest as they throbbed excruciatingly. She felt like an idiot. And a coward. More tears flooded down Abby's cheeks.

Abby couldn't believe how stupid she'd been to so freely trust the man. She felt like she couldn't even trust her own instincts anymore. She thought Fagan had been her friend…it wasn't as if she cared for him romantically. It had never been anything like that. It had always just been like a special comradery they had. He was a confidante when she was stressed out. She would drop him a text or an email and like a faithful friend; he'd always been there to give her advice and make her feel important. Now she felt betrayed. Fagan wasn't anything like she'd thought he was. It had become blatantly obvious that Fagan was involved in human trafficking, and he'd dropped hints about how much Janessa was worth to him on the black market either way. Abby dearly hoped that if they weren't rescued that Janessa would be sold to a rich family wanting a child rather than sold into the sex trade. Either way, a young blonde-haired, blue-eyed child would fetch a tidy sum for Fagan. Brandt, the seemingly kinder man had gone with Fagan leaving her alone with Mulligan. Mulligan, thankfully, didn't pay her or Janessa much mind as long as she stayed quiet and invisible to him. Abby had learned quickly that Mulligan was a cruel man who didn't think twice about smacking her if she spoke out of turn or failed to obey his words. Fagan words burned in her ears. Aimee was in danger and there was nothing she could do to help. She couldn't warn Gibbs of Fagan's plans for Aimee.

"Mommy," whimpered the small girl that was lying just out of Abby's reach.

Abby looked towards Mulligan pleadingly and the man grunted giving Abby permission to go to Janessa. Abby gathered the little girl up in her arms and returned to her spot across the room.

"Shh, it's okay, Janessa. I've got you."

Janessa's eyes fluttered and opened. She immediately started crying, and Abby did what she could to console her. The little five-year-old was trembling, and Abby was hard-pressed to know what to do to help her.

"I wanna g-go home," sobbed Janessa, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I know you do, sweetie."

Abby searched her mind for a way to make things seem more tolerable. Janessa was still young enough to play make-believe games and fantasies. Abby just needed to think of a way to distract her and keep everything looking like a game so she wouldn't be so frightened. Janessa continued to whimper, her cries getting louder. She fidgeted in Abby's arms and managed to free herself from her arms. The child stood up and glared at the Mulligan who was staring daggers at her. Abby reached out, grabbing Janessa gently around the wrist.

"Abby, what happened to your fingers?" gasped Janessa, noticing Abby's bloody hands.

"That's what happens, kid, if you don't listen to me; now sit down and shut up!" shouted Mulligan as he stood to his feet and wandered into the kitchenette in the next room just out of sight.

Janessa's eyes widened in alarm and she sunk to her knees, crawling closer to Abby. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and Abby could see her visibly shaking now.

"Aw, sweetie, don't be frightened. This is just a silly game that we're playing."

"A g-game?" echoed Janessa, furrowing her brow. "But, your hands are bleeding."

Abby waved her hand and smiled reassuringly. "It's all part of the game. Look," Abby clapped her hands together with a smile. "They don't even hurt. See?"

Abby gritted her teeth as she smiled at Janessa. In truth, her hands ached almost unbearably. Mulligan had cut deep gashes in all her fingers on both hands and two of her fingers were broken at the first knuckle; she had hidden that fact from the small child to not frighten her. If she hadn't given up the information she knew about Aimee, Mulligan had threatened to cut her fingers off after he'd broken them all.

Janessa looked at her skeptically. "How do you play the game? Is Mr. Gibbs playing too?"

Abby smiled again, pulling the child onto her lap.

"Yep. It's kind of like Hide-and-Seek. See, that man right there? His name is Mulligan, and he and his friends have hidden us somewhere, and Gibbs, Tony, Ziva and Tim have to find us."

Janessa allowed a smile to play on her lips. "Oh, I get it. That is fun, but how can Mr. Gibbs find us if he doesn't know where to look?"

Abby searched her mind for an answer to that question. Abby felt like they might never be found, but she didn't want Janessa to know the reality of things until she absolutely had to know. Making it a game would ease both their minds for the time being. Abby just hoped that Mulligan would just leave them alone for the time being. Janessa sat cross-legged in front of Abby as she did, the pink bracelet on her arm caught Abby's eye. Abby's heart slammed against her chest as she felt fresh hope filled her senses. The bracelets. She'd forgotten all about them. She'd given one to each of the girls in hopes they might cheer them up. Maybe, just maybe, Tim might figure out what they were. Abby chewed her lip and absentmindedly crossed her fingers. She's spent a lot of time playing around with the GPS function of the bands hoping to patent them, but they never seemed to work properly or consistently. Tim had spent quite a bit of time messing around with them as well when the two of them had down time in the lab together. They'd eventually given up on them and tossed them in a drawer. Aimee had found them and asked if she could have them and Abby had given one to each of the girls.

"This will lead them right to us," said Abby, holding up Janessa's wrist triumphantly.

"My bracelet?"

"Yessiree. It's a magic bracelet, Nessie."

Abby hugged Janessa close to her chest with a giddy giggle. She silently said a prayer that Tim would discover the bracelet on Aimee and put everything together. The bracelet might not be consistent but it would provide a tracker coordinate within a 10-mile radius. Abby had managed to get a good look around her surroundings while she was being dragged into the farmhouse. The old farm house was all she had seen for miles around her. Surely, they had a chance now, and hope of being found was better than no hope at all.


	21. Chapter 21

Gibbs rubbed his temples as he looked at the large screen in MTAC. McGee had been working for several hours trying to narrow down the radius of the GPS signal. The range given was too large. It gave them a rough idea, but Gibbs wanted more specific coordinates. He didn't want to run off half-cocked and scare the kidnappers underground. He'd already suspected that the kidnapping had everything to do with MS-13; if they spooked them before they were close enough to infiltrate, they might not ever see Abby or Janessa again. The group was an unfathomable enigma. They operated above the law in more circumstances than even Gibbs knew. The more Gibbs studied the group and the more information they uncovered, the more perplexed the whole situation became. Too many reputable people were involved, covering up every kind of evidence imaginable and too much money was at stake. Human life no longer mattered. It had become nothing but a commodity to be bought and sold.

"Any luck yet?"

Gibbs turned around to see Tony walk in the room. He had a grave look on his face, but he looked more rested than he had earlier. Gibbs had insisted he and Ziva get some rest. Ziva had taken Aimee under her wing and hopefully the girl was getting some rest as well.

"Not exactly," mumbled McGee, stifling a yawn as he poured over the data on the screen in front of him.

"Whoa, McGeek, you look like crap," said Tony, wielding that bratty smirk that Gibbs often just itched to smack off his face.

"Thanks, Tony," muttered McGee, with an irritated tone in his voice.

"Boss, I can't get it narrowed down in any further. The technology was spotty at best in the first place which was why Abby gave up on it. The battery is pathetic and the locator is even worse. It's no use. I'm sorry," sighed Tim, throwing his hands up in defeat. Gibbs could tell he was exhausted.

Gibbs placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's alright. Get some sleep, Tim. We'll try again later when your head is clear."

Tim looked up at him skeptically.

"Go on, I mean it. I don't want to see you back here until 06:00 hours. Scram."

Tim stood to his feet and left the room looking defeated. Gibbs didn't expect that the man would get much farther than Abby's lab. Abby had a spot rigged up in her lab where she often crashed and Gibbs figured that was where Tim would head. Tim and Abby were more often than not connected at the hip. Once being romantically involved, they had settled into a close sibling-like relationship. Gibbs knew that Tim was mourning and worrying about Abby's probably even more so than he.

Gibbs turned and looked at the screen once again, feeling more discouraged than he had in a long time. The GPS had given them a 100-mile radius to work with, and it appeared to be highly populated in places which made it virtually useless to them.

"Boss, you should get some sleep too," said Tony, a careful tone in his voice.

Gibbs shook his head. He knew it was the truth. He needed sleep but his mind couldn't rest as long as he knew Abby was in danger. Not to mention little Janessa. All along his gut had been eating at him and wagering an inner battle trying to figure out a way to keep his girl safe. Ever since Abby's car had been blown sky high, a part of him knew that this moment had been one in the making. Like the explosion had started an inescapable series of events that couldn't be stopped until it had followed its way through to completion. Gibbs closed his eyes feeling more than a little weary. His head was pounding. He kept thinking that it was a lack of caffeine that was making him lack clarity. He couldn't even remember the last time he'd had a coffee. His throat felt parched but, in reality, it wasn't coffee he craved it the moment, it was something much stronger. Like whiskey or bourbon. He wanted enough to numb his senses and take away the blistering pain radiating through him and the huge overwhelming feeling of hopelessness that had settled over him. His legs felt weak as he leaned against the nearest wall.

Tony reached out just catching him before his knees gave out on him.

"Boss…Gibbs, you okay?"

Tony helped Gibbs to a nearby chair.

"Yah, just tired, Tony. Just need to rest my eyes for a few moments and I'll be fine."

Gibbs shut his weary eyes; leaning his head back, everything faded into darkness.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

A loud obnoxious beeping noise echoed in his head as his mind struggled to climb out of the pit of unconsciousness. His eyes fluttered for several minutes as he tried to shake the heaviness of sleep from his conscious mind. He rubbed his eyes several times before he realised he was still in MTAC. The screen in front of him was flashing several points on the large map and beeping warnings. Gibbs looked around and saw McGee had resumed his position and was working intently on the monitors around him.

"Boss!"

McGee's voice was filled with excitement as he jumped to his feet.

"I've got it. I have her position!"

Within seconds, Gibbs was on his feet and standing beside Tim and Tony staring at the screen.

"Baker's Field. It's an old abandoned town about an hour from here. The mine closed a couple years ago and most of the farms there were foreclosed upon. Abby and Janessa must be being held in one of those farmhouses."

McGee poked at the screen. "Her GPS gave me a reading right there."

"How close do you think it is, Tim?"

McGee smiled confidently. "Close, Boss. My gut says within 10 miles or closer."

Gibbs started towards the door at a half run. "Gear up!"

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Abby took a sip of the water Mulligan had left for them on the floor. The guy had been faithful to make sure they had water, but not much else. Even Janessa had stopped moving and talking much over the last several hours. She had been crying because she was hungry but her crying had made Mulligan angry and he'd shaken the small child hard enough to make her bite down on her own lip, bloodying it. Abby knew that Janessa had figured out that it wasn't really a game. As much as Abby had tried to keep her spirits up, she couldn't continue it any longer. Abby's fingers had swollen up and the pain made tears come to her eyes. Thankfully Janessa wasn't a strong willed child. She was content to huddle under Abby's arm and stay quiet. Abby's heart was breaking for the little girl. She's also heard the girls' stomach rumbling for quite a while and even Abby was feeling more than a little hungry.

"Can't you get us some food?" asked Abby, breaking the silence in the room.

Mulligan looked up with a piercing glare. "Got none."

"Can't you see she's hungry? She's just a little girl. Have a heart!"

"Can't get blood out of stone, lady. She'll get food when she's delivered to her destination."

Abby pulled Janessa closer as the little girl whimpered.

"I'm a pretty good cook. Why don't you let me see what I can wrestle up out the canned stuff in the kitchen? I saw a bunch of stuff in there. Anything is better than nothing."

Mulligan licked his lips, obviously taking into consideration Abby's request. He had to be hungry too.

"Fine. Go, but no funny business, or I'll start breaking her fingers too."

Abby cringed at his words. She felt like he wouldn't follow through on it though because Janessa would need to be in top condition in order to sell her. Whether she was to be adopted or sold to the highest bidder, people didn't want broken merchandise. Abby, herself, was obviously expendable to them. Fagan had said her knowledge of forensics was useful to them so she didn't figure she would fetch much for them in the sex trade. Young girls and teen were more coveted than adult women.

"Kid, you go outside and find some wood. It's getting cold in here again, and I want to start a fire before sundown tonight. Last night was freezing."

Mulligan pulled a candy bar out of his pocket as an incentive. "If you bring in enough, I'll let you have this chocolate bar.

Janessa perked up somewhat and stood to her feet, looking to Abby for direction.

"It's okay, Nessie. Just outside the door is a barn straight ahead of you. Inside there is a wheel barrel. Just load up some wood in it and try to see if you can push it to the house. If you can't, I'll help you, okay?"

"No, you won't. You go make food. If she can't do it, she doesn't get the candy and I'll smack her. How's that for incentive?"

Janessa stuck out her bottom lip, and Abby could see it trembling as the small girl blinked back tears. Janessa nodded but didn't say anything. Abby silently thought that it was a blessing in some ways that Aimee wasn't with them. Aimee was a fighter and she would have fought Mulligan until he hurt her or even worse.

Once Janessa left the house and headed towards the barn, Abby shut the door and started to walk towards the kitchenette. She had seen cans of food in the cupboards but she wasn't sure she'd be able to find a can opener and, even if she did, she wasn't sure she'd be able to use it anyway. From the corner of her eye, she saw Mulligan sit on the old, ratty chair in the living area. His eyes were on his phone but Abby knew that his reception must be spotty at best. Her instincts were shouting at her that they were very remote. She was trying to stuff that feeling down deep for fear she would lose what little nerve she had left. Being too remote would mean Janessa's bracelet would be useless. Heck, even thinking that Tim would notice that Aimee had the bracelet was remote. Hope was fleeting no matter how she looked at it. She wanted to cling to a little hope; the longer time worn on, she was losing hope in there being any hope.

Abby wiped at tears that escaped down her cheeks. Sniffling softly, she willed herself to keep focussed on the matter at hand. One thing at a time; they needed some sustenance. Abby scanned the cupboards and a small smile pulled at her lips through her tears. She'd been right. Whoever had lived there had left plenty of provisions behind. Abby figured most, if not all of it, was outdated, but she also knew that the amount of salt in the canned food would have kept it from spoiling for several years after the expiry dates. She pulled out preserved vegetables, salmon, tuna, potatoes, and pasta and placed the cans on the counter. Her stomach growled loudly in anticipation. If she could manage to get the cans open, they would have a feast tonight.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Tony set off on foot towards the old abandoned barn. Behind him, McGee and Gibbs were spreading out and staying low. They'd checked two previous properties and had turned up nothing but a bunch of angry raccoon families. As Tony approached the barn, he peeked inside a peephole seeing nothing out of the ordinary. He didn't figure he's find anything inside except some other animals angry at being disturbed in their natural habitat. Tony made eye contact with Gibbs who nodded his permission for Tony to enter the barn. They had to do everything by hand signals and eye contact just in case someone was hiding. They needed to stay as quiet as possible until they knew that the coast was clear. Tony pulled the side door open on the rickety out building. As he took a few steps inside, he heard a flurry of wings above his head and he ducked instinctively as a group of pigeons flew out the door screeching angrily. His heart jumped to his throat from the scare. One thing Tony wasn't was a country boy. He'd been born and raised in the city. Barns and getting dirty was not his forte. He much preferred fine dining and chardonnay to buttermilk and grandma's homemade casserole.

Shaking off the sudden jolt, he forced his eyes to adjust to the dimness in the barn. It smelled of a mixture of moldy hay and animal feces. Tony couldn't help but wrinkle up his nose in disgust. He turned on his heel to see Gibbs enter behind him. He edged his head towards another door and proceeded to open it softly. His eyes widened when he entered the room. He spun on his heel and poked his head out the door once more, motioning to Gibbs then ducked back inside. Curled up in the hay with two kittens was a very dirty Janessa. She was sound asleep, and Tony stood staring at her in disbelief. How could it have been this easy?

"Don't disturb her just yet, DiNozzo," whispered Gibbs. "Stay here; McGee and I will continue searching around the place. Maybe Abby is behind door number two."

"Boss, Abby wouldn't leave Janessa alone if she had a choice."

"I know, Tony. Believe me, I know."

Tony carefully sat down in the hay so as to not wake up the sleeping girl. One of the kittens opened its eyes and softly meowed, making its way towards him. Tony smiled as the small ball of fur crawled all over him looking for some love and attention. It certainly wasn't feral. It was obvious the kittens had been held since before their eyes opened. They were very affectionate creatures. Maybe this farm wasn't abandoned like the others. Anyone who took the time to handle kittens with kindness couldn't be all bad, could they? Tony scooped up the kitten and petted its softness. The small creature began purring loudly with pleasure. Before long, the other kitten awoke and made its way towards him as well. Tony wouldn't have called himself a cat person, but he had to admit the small little creatures were endearing.

Tony couldn't be sure how much time went by before Gibbs and Tim poked their heads back inside the room. The room was surprisingly bright considering the time of day.

"Any luck?"

Gibbs shook his head. "Nope."

Tony watched as Gibbs knelt down and gently shook the sleeping little girl.

"Janessa, wake up," Gibbs said softly.

The little girl's eyes fluttered. Her face went white when she saw Gibbs' face and she burst into tears, launching herself into his arms. Gibbs embraced her.

"You did find us!" she exclaimed in a loud voice. Tony recognised her tears as happy tears. The small child looked visibly relieved. "Abby said it was a game of Hide-and-go-Seek, but I didn't believe her anymore because that bad man made me bite my lip. See?" She poked out her lip making Tony chuckle under his breath. "But you came, Mr. Gibbs. That means you win. I'm gonna run and tell Abby!" Janessa tried to jump out of Gibbs' arms but he held her tightly.

"Hang on, Janessa. What game are you talking about?"

Tony caught on much quicker than he figured Gibbs would. Abby had made it all a game for the small child so she wouldn't be as frightened.

"The game, Boss. We won! Isn't that fantastic?"

A small subtle wink seemed to grab Gibbs' attention. "Uh, right. The game. Where is Abby, Janessa?"

He still had a looked of confusion on his face but Tony was glad to hear him play along.

"In the house. I was supposed to get firewood, but I can't lift the wheelbarrow even when it gots no wood. That bad man said he's gonna smack me, so I didn't go back. I don't think he plays nice games. Abby's bleeding." Janessa reached for one of the kittens and Tony handed her one.

"Can I keep one of the kittens as a prize, Mr. Gibbs, please?"

This time Tony did chuckle out loud earning him a piercing glare from Gibbs. Tony tried to wipe the grin off his face but he couldn't help it. Janessa's childlike innocence was too sweet. After all the kid had been through the last several days, she was still was so innocent. Tony watched a series of emotions cross Gibbs' face as he looked at the little girl. Gibbs stroked her hair gently and quietly. Tony chewed his lip waiting for an answer and some kind of instructions.

"Boss?" prompted Tim, who was also chomping at the bit for action.

Tony had noticed how Tim's face changed when Janessa had mentioned Abby was bleeding.

"How many people are in the house, Janessa?"

"Just that bad man. His name is Mulletgun. The other two mans left yesterday. One of them is Abby's friend. He dresses real nice. Kinda like you, Tony. You know, Mr. Gibbs, that bad man in the house…well, he gots some black pictures on his skin." Janessa started pointing to different parts of her body to indicate where she had seen the tattoos. "Do you think he drawed them pictures with sharpies?"

Tony bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing again.

Gibbs stood to his feet and scooped Janessa up in his arms. Tony stood as well. Just as Gibbs opened his mouth to say something, the familiar sound of a vehicle pulling in the laneway came to their attention silencing them. Tony moved quickly to get a good look. Muffled voices were heard as the occupants of the car vacated the vehicle and headed towards the farmhouse. Within minutes all they heard was silence again.

"What'd you see?" asked Gibbs.

"Two more men, Boss," said Tony.

"McGee, I want you to stay here with Janessa and lay low. Tony and I are going to infiltrate the house-"

"Boss…Abby…" McGee's voice trailed off as Gibbs handed Janessa into his arms. Gibbs gave the younger man a piercing yet sympathetic look which spoke volumes before nodding his head towards Tony and disappearing out the door.

Tony stopped for several moments and looked closely at McGee standing stock still with Janessa in his arms. The little girl was lightly patting Tim's face which struck Tony was such a sweet scene. It was almost as if the small girl understood how Tim was feeling in that moment. For all the times Tony teased and poked fun at McGee, he had a lot of respect for the man. Tim genuinely loved Abby, and the two of them had a bond that Tony had never seen before between a man and a woman that wasn't based on physical intimacy.

Tony placed an encouraging hand on Tim's shoulder and smiled at him.

"We'll get her back, Tim."

Tim nodded quietly as gritted his teeth and pulled Janessa closer to his chest. Tony patted his shoulder and disappeared out the door after Gibbs.


	22. Chapter 22

_**A/N School is back in session and I homeschool my children so life has been busy :)**_

 ** _It's my little sanity boost in this gray, bleak January weather._**

 ** _Hope you enjoy this chapter._**

 ** _xo_**

 ** _Jenny :)_**

Ziva brushed her hands through her dark, unruly hair, untangling several knots with her fingers as she also tied it into a tight ponytail aback her head. She was trying to keep her thoughts positive as she waited rather impatiently for Gibbs or somebody else on the team to contact her about Abby and Janessa's whereabouts. Gibbs had entrusted Aimee's wellbeing to her and Jenny while he was gone, yet part of her felt resentful about it. Gibbs knew that she wasn't one to sit around when the situation called for action. She was much better suited out in the field actively pursuing some kind of attainable goal rather than sitting around waiting.

"Stop bossing me around! You're not my mom!" shouted an irritated, belligerent little voice and soon the body belonging to the voice stormed into the bullpen, followed by a very cross looking Director Jenny Shepard.

"Hold it, Aimee."

Jenny grabbed the nine-year-old by the arm and turned her to face her. Ziva had to bite back a smirk as she witnessed a side of Jenny that she'd never seen before. Maybe every woman had an inner mother sitting dormant just itching to spring forth. Jenny had certainly jumped into the role rather quickly without hesitation.

Jenny pointed a stern finger at the angry little girl in front of her. "I may not be your mother, young lady, but I am the director of NCIS, and you may not snoop through my office or use my personal phone without permission. Am I making myself clear?"

Aimee reached out and smacked her hand away angrily. "I don't need your permission to use the dumb phone."

Jenny put her hands on her hips, exasperation oozing from every pore. "And what do you think Agent Gibbs would think of that? Who were you calling?"

"I don't care what he thinks! I want my sister! Where is she?"

"You didn't answer my question, Aimee. Who were calling?"

"It's none of your business. You didn't answer my question either. Where's Janessa?"

Jenny sighed and her eyes met Ziva's. Ziva could see the look of pure vexation on Jenny's face. It was obvious that the director had reached her limit of Aimee Percy, and it was pretty clear that Aimee had reached her limit of Jenny. Ziva felt certain that Gibbs wouldn't have taken Aimee's behaviour lightly either.

Ziva cleared her throat and stepped forward from behind her desk. "Aimee, are you hungry? I could take you to the cafeteria for something to eat."

Aimee spun on her heel and glared at Ziva. "Leave me the hell alone!"

Ziva blinked a few times, feeling out of her element. It was more than clear that Aimee wasn't going to have anything to do with anyone even suggesting a diversion. For the moment, Ziva understood what maybe Gibbs felt like when he gave one of his team an order and they turned a deaf ear to it.

"Is Andrew still here? Can I see him?"

"I'm not sure, Aimee, but even if he is, children cannot visit suspected criminals in custody. That's not how things work at NCIS," said Jenny, trying to keep her voice kind and patient.

"Then gimme my phone back."

Aimee's eyes went to Gibb's desk, and she scurried over to his desk beginning to root through his drawers. Jenny quickly followed to prevent Aimee from rummaging through Gibb's desk for her cell phone. Ziva's eyes widened at the sheer audacity of the child. Aimee seemed to have no fear.

"You can't go snooping in Agent Gibb's desk either, Aimee. His desk is private."

"I want my phone!"

Aimee stomped her foot and shoved Jenny away from her. Jenny grabbed the little girl around the waist, picking her up and walking with her to the centre of the bullpen away from Gibbs' desk. Aimee kicked her feet and shrieked in protest until Jenny set her down. As soon as her feet hit the floor, Aimee's foot connected rather painfully with Jenny's shins. A tiny, satisfied smile spread across her small face when Jenny gasped in pain and reached for her leg.

Ziva's mouth dropped open in astonishment at Aimee's reaction. The girl was a force to be reckoned with when she was angry. And Aimee Percy seemed to be more than a little angry at the moment. Deciding she should come to the director's assistance, Ziva made an attempt to grab Aimee's arm to stop her. Aimee pulled away and tried to kick Ziva as well. Ziva quickly moved out of the aim of fire and restrained Aimee firmly.

Aimee struggled. "Lemme go!"

"Aimee, calm down so we can talk," said Ziva, not even recognizing the firmness in her own voice. Maybe, she too, had an inner mother struggling to break free.

Aimee was sweating from her tantrum making her slippery to hold. As much as Ziva attempted to maintain her grip on the girl's arms, Aimee managed to wiggle herself free and fled from the bullpen running smack into Agent Kyle Sawyer.

Ziva felt herself sigh in relief when Sawyer caught Aimee and scooped her up in his arms with ease. He tossed her over his shoulder like she was nothing more than a 10-pound sack of potatoes. The small girl kicked and screamed in protest, but Sawyer ignored her as he walked back into Gibb's part of the bullpen. Ziva walked over to Jenny, noticing the purple bruise forming on the director's shin. Ziva pulled a nearby chair to Jenny so she could sit down and survey the damage to her leg.

Jenny sat down. "Thank-you, Ziva." She turned her attention to Sawyer. "Thank-you too, Agent Sawyer. Don't let her go, whatever you do! She's a wildcat."

Sawyer held tightly to Aimee as she continued to kick and screech loudly.

"What do you want me to do with her, Director?"

Jenny cringed as the child's screams filled the room. "I haven't the foggiest idea, Agent Sawyer. As far as I'm concerned, you can keep her."

Jenny stood up wincing in pain and limped towards the elevator leaving Sawyer and Ziva staring after her. Sawyer's eyes turned to Ziva as he held Aimee over his shoulder. Most of the words the child was saying were lost in her shrieks to be put down.

"Heard from Gibbs?" asked Sawyer, continuing to ignore the kicking, wailing girl over his shoulder.

Ziva shook her head. "No, I have not heard one word." Ziva looked at Aimee struggling desperately to free herself. "Are you going to keep ignoring her?"

Sawyer made his voice a little louder so Aimee would hear him over her shrieks.

"Yep. She's not fit for conversation right now, so I'm just going to hold her until she's ready to talk."

Aimee pounded his back with her fists. "I'm never going to be ready to talk to you!"

"I've got a whole whack of nieces and nephews, kid. I'm wise to a temper tantrum when I see one."

"Let me go!"

Sawyer spun around a few times before stopping and smirking at Ziva. Ziva watched in horrified fascination as Sawyer seemed to enjoy teasing the little girl. Aimee's fists pounding on his back didn't seem to faze him at all.

"You are just making her angrier."

"Probably. Don't really care. Ziva, this kid is a brat. I've seen her since she came to NCIS, and everyone has been walking on glass afraid to put her in her place. She's bullying you all."

"Her family…"

"I know terrible things have happened to her. I'm not suggesting she doesn't deserve a little compassion but, for crying out loud, someone needs to put her in her place."

"Gibbs has tried."

Sawyer laughed. "Gibbs is the worst of all of you. He's wrapped when it comes to these girls. Have you seen him…" The rest of his sentence was cut off as Aimee bucked in his arms.

"Let me go, damn it! I can hear everything you're saying about me, you big dummy," screamed Aimee, throwing her head back with all her might.

Ziva's breath caught in her chest when Aimee's sudden movement caught Sawyer off guard and he stumbled to keep the little girl from throwing herself backward onto the floor. Sawyer scrambled quickly and corrected his footing at the last minute, catching the kid before she fell. Angrily, he set her on the floor in front of him, shaking her firmly.

"Cut the crap, kid, or you're gonna find yourself with a helluva sore ass. Everyone else might care about hurting your feelings, but, guess what? I. Don't. Care."

Aimee's eyes grew large and she stopped struggling. She looked up at the Agent in front of her and blinked her eyes several times. Ziva stared at Sawyer as well. She didn't know what to say. Her heart was beating wildly in her chest. She didn't know Kyle Sawyer very well. All the times she'd seen him, he was usually goofing around with Tony. Most of time, he acted childish and maddening, glibly annoying almost anyone he came across like a silly middle school boy. This new side of him surprised her. She admired his way of commandeering Aimee's attention. She didn't so much appreciate the sore ass part of his speech, but someone putting Aimee in her place was definitely a pleasant relief. He commanded respect, much like Gibbs. She could respect that.

"Now, if you're finished pitching your fit, you might be interested in finding out more about where your sister is."

Aimee's eyes flooded with tears. "You know where Janessa is? Is she okay?"

Sawyer winked at her with a kind smile. "No, but let's do what we can to find out. How does that sound?"

Aimee wiped away her tears and nodded, a small, hopeful smile gracing her face.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Abby crinkled up her nose as she stirred what pretended to be food in a pot. It didn't look very appetizing but the smell of it made her mouth water and her stomach rumble anyway. She couldn't remember the last time she'd eaten. She'd lost track of time since she and Janessa were snatched off the street. She glanced at the clock blinking at her on the stove. How long had Janessa been gone? Abby wondered if the little girl had been able to even lift the wheel barrel, let alone be able to carry it back to the house filled with firewood. Part of Abby hoped the little girl had run off. Maybe someone would see her and take pity on her. Another part of Abby hoped the child would come back inside so she could see that she was safe. She had no idea how far they were from another farm. She had no idea what kind of dangers lurked close by. Janessa could fall into an old abandoned well or get cut on some old rusty farm equipment. Abby shivered at the thought, willing herself to think positively. And, at the same time, she was trying to keep her own self from panicking at the thought of being left alone with Mulligan. The guy gave her the creeps. She didn't trust him and being alone with him was terrifying.

Almost as if the man could hear her thoughts, he crept up behind her. "Is the grub ready yet?"

Abby jumped at the sound of the gruff voice behind her. She swallowed hard and forced herself to reach deep within herself to stay calm. She needed to keep him distracted and concentrating on the food and not her.

"Yes, I just need to find something to put it on."

Abby took a few steps towards the cupboards only to be cornered by Mulligan. Her heart leaped into her chest as his eyes began to travel hungrily up and down her. Abby's heart rate increased as she realised quickly that Mulligan's hunger had changed from food to other things. Colour began to drain from her face.

"Maybe you could get us some water from the well outside."

Mulligan furrowed his brow as he reached out to brush his hand across her pale, white cheek.

"What's a matter with the tap?"

Abby's heart beat wildly in her chest. "The water's brown. It's okay for cooking because I can boil off the bacteria, but for drinking, it might make us sick."

Mulligan leaned closer, his face at her neck. Abby smell his breath, laced with some kind of alcohol. She hadn't seen him drinking anything, but he must have been good at hiding it from her. His hot breath made her feel weak in the knees. She felt sure he would be able to see the pulse in her neck beating frantically. She would be the first to admit she was terrified of what he was capable of doing to her. She held up her hands and pushed him away forcefully, tears flooding her eyes. Mulligan growled and grabbed hold of her roughly, pulling her closer to him.

"Don't be like that. I could show you a real good time."

Abby's breath caught in her throat but she couldn't stop the whimper that escaped from her lips.

"Please, don't…"

Mulligan licked his lips with greedy anticipation settling in his eyes. He roughly grabbed Abby by the wrists and shoved her to the floor. Abby cried out in a mixture of terror and agony when her hands smacked the floor. The pain in her broken fingers and cut up hands reignited and she whimpered. Mulligan reached down and ripped at her clothing roughly. Abby struggled to keep her blouse intact but it was a fruitless attempt when Mulligan smacked her harshly in the mouth. Her lip split open, blood splattering the front of her torn blouse. Her heart beat so fiercely in her chest that Abby thought it would burst out of her. She reached a trembling hand to her mouth, feeling ensnared like a wild animal in a hunter's trap.

"We don't have much time before that brat comes back with the wood. Let's make it count," he hissed, unbuttoning his pants.

Abby whimpered in fear as she tried to struggle to get up, but Mulligan shoved her down, pinning her with one knee as he continued to lower his pants. Abby could see he was aroused by her fear. He ripped at her clothing more and shoved her knees apart as he came down on top of her.

Suddenly a commotion at the door caused a rather annoyed Mulligan to look away from her. Abby used the moment to drive her knee as hard as she could into his groin. The man let out a guttural scream that nearly deafened her as she frantically rolled out from beneath him. She scrambled to her knees and crawled as fast as she could across the room, stopping to cover her head when she heard gunfire above her head.

"Give me a reason why I shouldn't blow your friggin head off!"

Abby moved her arms and looked up to see Tony standing over top of Mulligan with a gun trained at his head. Her whole body started to shake violently when she saw Gibbs enter the dark room. She slowly rose to her feet and brought her quivering hands to her face as Gibbs nearly flew across the room to her side. Within moments, Abby felt his strong arms embrace her in a solid, protective hug. Abby collapsed into him and sobbed. Her heart continued to pound wildly in her chest as she gasped for air, as she tried to tell herself that she was safe.

"I've got you, Abbs."

Abby clung to him with what little strength she had left which wasn't much. There wasn't much else she could think about in those moments as Gibbs held her, but one thing came to her mind. She wasn't ever going to leave Gibbs side again.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Jethro Gibbs bit down hard on his lip as he held Abby close to his chest. He could feel her heartbeat pounding in her chest and her body trembling in his arms. Her sobbing sounded primal. He pulled her tighter to him as his jaw muscles contracted. His eyes were fixed on the piece of scum moaning on the floor, grasping his groin area. Tony was still pointing his weapon at the guy's head. Fury raged in his eyes. It wouldn't have taken much for Tony to pull the trigger and blew the guy straight to hell after what they'd seen. Gibbs wasn't sure he'd be able to wash the image from his mind's eye for a very long time. He rubbed his hands up and down Abby's back, almost like he was trying to wash the moment away from her and to somehow make her feel safe again. She was clinging to him so tightly that he could feel every beat of her heart.

"Abbs, you're safe," he whispered into her ear. He felt her shiver.

"Please. Don't let me go," she pleaded in a hoarse whisper.

Gibbs' eyes met Tony's. He knew that Tony understood. Tony stepped down hard on the man's chest, glaring at him before he removed his foot. It was a voiceless action, but one that spoke volumes. One wrong move and Tony would not hesitate to put a bullet through his head. In one fluid action, Tony reached down, flipped the filthy piece of trash over on his stomach and cuffed him. Tony wasn't gentle. The man protested loudly but his protests fell on deaf ears.

"Get him out my sight, DiNozzo."

Tony roughly pulled the guy to his feet. "Glad to, Boss." Tony shoved him out the door.

Doing his best to comfort Abby, Gibbs reached into his coat pocket and called for backup, giving their coordinates. Gibbs suspected it was only a matter of time before Abby's kidnapper would have his companions return for him. He didn't imagine they were in the clear yet. They would need to get as far as they could away from there and fast.

Gibbs peeled Abby's arms from his neck and wrapped his jacket around her shoulders. His heart was breaking as he looked at her pale face, free from its normal Goth makeup. Her usual smile and upbeat self was but a distant memory. In its' place sad terror. His eyes traveled over her searching for other injuries. His heart skipped a beat when he caught of her bloody, broken hands. He gingerly touched them with bitter rage building in his chest.

"Oh, Abby"

She blinked back tears and pulled her hands in close to her chest. Something in her eyes made an inner rage bubble up inside him. He hadn't been able to protect her. He swore he would keep her safe, but he hadn't. He pulled her into his arms again and pressed a gentle kiss onto her jet black hair.

"No one's ever gonna lay a finger on you again, Abbs."

It was a solemn vow, and even it destroyed their relationship in the end, he would keep it.


	23. Chapter 23

_**A/N Thanks so much for the reviews. They really spur me on to keep writing this story, and the storyline is complicated so I need that encouragement. :) Your speculations into who is the good guy and who is the bad guy make me smile...just never know which way a character might turn, do you?**_

 _ **This chapter is a little shorter but I hope you enjoy.**_

 _ **xo**_

 _ **Jenny Wrens**_

Gibbs walked out of interrogation with the vein in his forehead pulsing feeling ready to explode. Two hours with Mulligan had gotten him nowhere. The guy was a complete and utter moron, a lowlife, a useless waste of body space. It had been all Gibbs could do not to snap him in two like a matchstick. The guy knew next to nothing. He was just a puppet used by Fagan and that guy had disappeared into thin air like he never existed. Gibbs walked towards Jenny's office feeling like his head would detonate and blow the whole building to kingdom come. The more he tried to digest what had happened to Abby and what she had told him about her relationship with Fagan, the more he fought between his instincts of wanting to hug her and shake her. He couldn't fathom how someone as intelligent as Abby could be so stupid. As much as Abby was brilliant, she lacked such basic life skills and common sense. It seemed like she was ruled by her heart rather than her brain. Gibbs couldn't comprehend how she could be so damned ignorant of the innate evil of the world. She was a goddamned forensic scientist, for crying out loud. She solved heinous crime scenes all the time. How could she still be so sweetly oblivious?

Three days had gone by since they'd found Abby and Janessa. Abby was slowly recovering from the attack but was certainly not her normal flamboyant self. She had retreated into herself somewhat and that worried Gibbs. Her sweet, sunshiny personality was gone, replaced by fear. That bright light in her eyes had diminished and Gibbs only saw fear and distress. Janessa, on the other hand, seemed unscathed by the event. Abby had assured Gibbs that she had protected the girl and sheltered her from the brunt of the attack. Janessa was young enough that it had been easy in some ways to convince her it was a game. Gibbs couldn't help but admire Janessa's spunk and tenacity. Janessa had this keen ability to bounce back from things with little to no adverse effects. He had spoken to her about things on several occasions, but she merely smiled her gap-toothed grin and asked him for more pink paper to make hearts. Gibbs chalked it up to being five and living in her own fairy tale world of flying unicorns and gallant princes and princesses. Living in a fantasy world was Janessa's coping mechanism. Still, he promised himself he'd keep a sharp eye on her for signs of trauma, but none seem to peek through. Janessa was just a bubbling, happy-go-lucky kid, content to allow people to love her, and everyone did.

Gibbs' knees cracked and popped as he climbed the stairs to the offices upstairs. He could have taken the elevator, but somehow he felt like he needed more time to think. He gripped the banister with his hand, trying to send his anger through his hand to the railing. He needed to rid himself of the rage. Time had run out on them. The case was officially being labeled a cold case now. Every single lead and piece of evidence had led to a dead end. There was no evidence that Fagan existed. The guy had all but erased himself from the face of the earth. Mulligan was tight-lipped. His bail had been denied and he faced a life sentence for kidnapping, assault, and attempted rape. It would a long time before the man would see the outside. Gibbs had no doubts the reprobate would die behind bars. Scum like him didn't last long. Rumours would fly about his attachment to sex trafficking and, well, the justice system in prison was purifying. Sad to say, Gibbs found some peace in that knowledge. It seemed that even criminals had standards and sex offenders were the scum of the scum, worse than the scum on the bottom of a pond. Prison justice was hard-core.

Gibbs reached the top of the stairs and looked down on the bullpen. Tony had Janessa on his lap and was teaching her to make paper airplanes out of pink paper. The middle of the bullpen was peppered in pink aircrafts causing a smile to pull at the corners of Gibb's lips. Who knew that DiNozzo could be so damned fatherly? It looked good on him. Ziva was sitting at her desk watching Sawyer with Aimee. The agent was playing some game on his cellphone and Aimee seemed enthralled by it, a bright smile on her face. Kyle Sawyer seemed to have taken his own special interest in Aimee. Gibbs couldn't quite figure out what kind of game Sawyer was playing. He had seemed to make himself a little too much of a fixture. At first, he thought it was because he was just a DiNozzo wannabe but now Gibbs was beginning to think that the guy had the hots for Ziva. Gibbs snorted at the thought. THAT wasn't going to happen on his watch. Sawyer was too much of a player for Gibbs to let any of his girls get involved with him. Gibb's eyes turned to Tim: the only agent who appeared to be doing any work. Raking his hand through his hair with a disheartened groan, Gibbs realised that he needed to make some hard decisions. They couldn't continue on like this any longer.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Gibbs burst into Jenny Shepard's office on a mission. He had made up his mind and he wasn't going to let her talk him out of it. She stood to her feet indignantly when he burst into her midst.

"For heaven's sakes, Jethro, just once in your life, you could allow my secretary to earn her pay and announce you."

"I don't need to be announced, Jenn. I'm not some dignitary."

"I thought you were with Abby this afternoon?"

Gibbs rubbed a hand across his face. "I was, but Ducky came to check the splints on her fingers and started telling some tales that stole her attention, so I slipped back here to interrogate Mulligan."

Her voice was terse. "I thought you agreed to let Tony handle that."

"I did, but I wanted a go at him myself."

Jenny sighed and walked around her desk to meet Gibbs. "How'd it go?"

Gibbs cast a glance at the ceiling briefly before shaking his head in misery. "It didn't."

Jenny's eyes looked back at him sympathetically. "I guess that's it then."

"Yeah."

Gibbs watched as Jenny walked around the conference table and took a seat looking as downcast as he felt.

"Jethro, we need to have a serious talk."

Gibbs sat down. He knew this time was coming for a long time. The case was officially cold which meant they had to move on to other more pressing cases. The Percy case had monopolised their time and energy for weeks, and it was time to put it to rest. Or at the very least, admit it wasn't going to be solved anytime soon. It was time the girls had some kind of consistency in their lives. It was time for life to move forward for them all.

"Just because we have no leads doesn't mean new evidence won't crop up, Jethro. This case isn't finished by a long shot. I wouldn't even consider it to be a cold case. More like a lukewarm one. This case doesn't fit all the criteria to put stuffed in a labeled box and shoved on a shelf."

"Jenn, you don't need to sugar coat things for me."

"I'm not, Jethro."

Gibbs smiled. Times like this he remembered why he still loved Jenny. She knew him better than he knew himself. He had broken rule 10 and he knew it. She knew it. Hell, everyone on his team had broken it and they all knew it. Question was, how were they going to proceed now?

Jenny reached out and placed a warm hand in his. "I was looking at your employee file, and you're up for some vacation time, Jethro. I think you should take it."

Gibbs frowned. What the hell was she suggesting? Sensing his back going up, Jenny patted his hand gently.

"Listen, Jethro," she admonished, holding his hand tightly as he attempted to pull it away and jump to his feet in indignation. "Anyone would have to blind, deaf and a complete moron to know that you've attached yourself to those girls. I'm beginning to think that you need them about as much as they need you."

"Jenn-"

She raised her voice to speak over his protest. "What were planning to tell me today, huh? That I should call child services and have them taken?"

"It's time-"

"Nonsense."

Gibbs pulled his hand away and stared at her incredulously. "Jenn, this case is not going to be solved quickly, if at all. Mulligan is a moron. Fagan is non-existent. Andrew is a goddamned enigma. McGee has been working for days trying to figure out what kind of scanner will decode the tattoo on Aimee's back. I've got names, suspects, and evidence that go around in circles into infinity. Nothing relates to anything, and I've got an insidious underground crime ring involved in a way I can't even fathom, let alone connect to anything. That's not even touching how I feel about Abby and her involvement in all this mess. Nothing, and I mean not one goddamned thing, makes a crap load of sense and you want me to take a vacation to play daddy to two little kids? Are you out of your ever-loving mind?"

"I never said I wanted you to play daddy, Jethro. I wanted to know what you barged into my office to tell me. What is your solution?"

Gibbs stared at her. He thought he'd had it all figured out in his head. Put the kids into foster care, get them some counseling and make life better for them. It was easy, right? It was the proper thing to do. Janessa would flourish under the love and care of a family. Aimee would be fine in time. She was a fighter, right? What could he possibly give her that she couldn't get from a stable, loving family with both a mother and a father? He was just a grumpy old man with a horrendous chip on his shoulder. He was too gruff to take care of two little girls.

"Call child services and get it over with. This is gonna be hard enough for everyone without dragging it on any further. We will be better able to focus as a team to solve this case without having to balance the kids."

"What if Aimee is still in danger? Did you think about that?"

Gibbs groaned. He did think she was still in danger. That thought had never left his mind.

"I can't keep her safe, Jenn. I can't do my job properly and keep her safe. For Pete's sake, I can't even keep Abby safe."

"What happened to Abby was not your fault. It was not anyone's fault. Jethro, you can't protect the whole world. Things happen. Terrible, awful things, but you can't be everywhere at once. Stop beating yourself up over things you have no control over."

Gibbs closed his eyes as he let her words penetrate his heart. Jenny Shepard knew him. She knew how he ticked. She knew what kind of pressures he put on himself. When he opened his eyes, he released that Jenny had moved to stand in front of him. One arm was crossed in front of her and the other held a cell phone extended to him.

"If you want them gone, call child services yourself."

Checkmate. The game was over, and the gig was up. She had called his bluff.

He rubbed the back of his neck and shook his head with a weary sigh.

"How much time can I take?"


	24. Chapter 24

Aimee looked up from the cell phone in her hand feeling a little disoriented. She'd lost track of time after becoming so absorbed in playing Minecraft. She hadn't even noticed when Agent Sawyer had returned to his desk. Janessa was lying on her stomach in the middle of the bullpen with her tongue sticking out in concentration as she carefully cut tiny hearts out of pink paper. Her sister had moved from making paperclip necklaces to making hearts for everyone. Aimee secretly wondered what she would come up with next to amuse herself. She remembered the pink crayon drawing fascination that Janessa had obsessed over just a couple of week ago. They had checked a book out of the library called Harold and the Purple Crayon. It was about a boy who drew all these pictures in purple crayon and everything he drew came to life. If he got lost, he simply drew his window with the moon outside and then his bed, and magically he was home again. A stray tear ran down Aimee's cheek and she stubbornly brushed it away. It seemed like a lifetime ago since she was with her family and it felt surreal to her that it had only been a couple of weeks. No amount of pink crayon drawings or hearts or wishes would change things now. Her mother and Sarah were dead. Jonathan was too, not that she particularly missed him at all. But he had been a link to her father. Her real father. Mostly, all Jonathan had done was hurt her.

Her eyes scanned the room to see all the adults around her busy working. Agent DiNosey, Aimee snickered, congratulating herself for coming up with the creative name, was flipping through files while sitting on the corner of Ziva's desk. Ziva was pretending to be interested but for some reason kept standing up to peer over her shoulder towards Agent Sawyer's side of the room. Aimee fidgeted so that she could see between the cracks of the dividing walls. Sawyer was talking on the phone with a really serious look on his face. Turning her attention back to Agent Gibb's part of the pen, Aimee noticed Tim staring at her. A part of her felt this enormous temptation to stick her tongue out at him. She didn't know why but she just had this nagging urge to be bad. It wasn't that she purposely wanted to hurt anyone. It wasn't like that. She just didn't feel very happy inside and causing trouble was better than feeling so horrible inside.

The phone suddenly vibrated in her hand. She glanced down at it and noticed it had a picture and number. She swiped at it quickly to hang up on the caller. Agent Sawyer seemed to have forgotten that he'd given her his phone. A quick glance at the battery power at the top told her that the phone still had a 70 percent charge. Slipping the phone into the pocket of her sweater, she wandered towards Tim since he was staring at her anyway. She tried to think of something to cause a diversion so she would be able to slip off on her own. She wanted to know if Andrew was still here and if he wasn't, now she had a way to contact him again. That knowledge actually brought a smile to her face, as well as an ingenious idea.

"Why don't you take a picture? It'd last longer," she said with a grin as she walked over towards Tim.

Tim smiled in return. "Sorry, Aimee, I didn't mean to stare. I wasn't really looking at you; I was more thinking about you."

She shrugged her shoulders. "About what?"

"That tattoo on your back. I've tried so many different scanners but have had no luck."

"You didn't try a store scanner. Why don't you take me to Walmart and get them to scan me?" It felt like a serious enough suggestion to her.

Tim chuckled. "The thought had crossed my mind, but I don't really need to take you there to have tried the technology right here."

Aimee furrowed her brow. She didn't really understand much about technology stuff. All she did know was that Tim was smart, and she kind of figured if anyone could figure it out, he would.

"So I guess you can't find out what I am."

"I already know what you are, silly. A sweet girl."

Aimee rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean.

Her voice sounded much gloomier than she actually felt. The truth was she didn't much care about the barcode on her back. She just wanted to find Andrew and be with him like he'd promised. He said he could find her dad for her. That's all she really wanted. The rest just didn't matter. She and Janessa would be happy with her dad. She knew that to be true deep down in her heart.

Tim motioned her over to him and she obeyed. Tim placed a hand on her shoulder in comfort, looking just a little awkward in his attempt. "Hey, cheer up, Aimee. Gibbs and the rest of us are not going to give up on this. We'll find out what happened to your parents. You and Nessa don't need to worry, okay?"

Aimee nodded anxiously and changed the subject. "I need to go to the bathroom."

Tim's kindness was making her feel uncomfortable and maybe even a bit guilty inside. If she didn't get away, she might lose her nerve.

She saw Tim fidget a bit at her statement and look towards Ziva.

Quickly trying to divert his attention, she said, "Ziva and Tony look real busy. It's okay, Tim; I know where the bathroom is. I can go by myself."

Tim looked hesitant. "Do you promise to come straight back to the bullpen?"

Aimee crossed her chest with her finger. "Cross my heart and hope to die. Stick a needle in my eye if I lie." Her fingers were crossed behind her back for good measure voiding the pledge out. There was no way she was really going to stick a needle in her eye.

Tim fidgeted reluctantly before heaving a sigh. "All right, straight there and straight back. No scenic side trips on the way back, understand?"

Aimee saluted him. "Yes, sir." Then, patting the outside of her sweater to feel for the phone, she skipped around the corner towards the bathrooms.

Making her way towards the washroom, she noticed a pack of cigarettes and a lighter sitting on the corner of one of the desks. She quickly snaked her hand out and snatched up the lighter smiling sweetly at all the agents as she skipped by. Once she reached the restroom, she dragged the padded chair standing outside the door into the room and, standing on her tiptoes on the chair, she lit the lighter under the sprinkler mechanism on the ceiling. She had no idea if what she was doing would even work, but she'd seen it hundreds of times on T.V. and she needed was a diversion. If everyone's attention could be diverted elsewhere for a little bit, it would give her the chance to slip out without anyone noticing. No one would tell her if Andrew was still at NCIS, and she intended to find out herself.

The piercing sound of an alarm filled the room first, almost causing Aimee to tumble off the chair. Then, much more to her surprise, cold torrents of water started spraying out of the sprinkler above her head extinguishing the fire from the lighter in her hand and soaking her hair and clothes. Her heart danced a little jig in her chest. Aimee hadn't actually thought that would work. She never thought in her wildest dreams it would really work. A shiver of delight surged through her. Sometimes things were just that easy. She jumped off the chair upending it and flew out of the room. Her mouth dropped in disbelief at the chaos that ensued around her. Agents were gathering up paperwork and scurrying around shouting at one another while streams of water showered down on them. The scene would have made her laugh if someone hadn't scooped her up under an arm and carted her off much to her chagrin.

Water dripped down her face as she kicked her feet angrily, perturbed at being held against her will. The diversion was so she could escape, not be dragged off somewhere. She craned her neck around to try and see who was holding her but all she could make out was that it was a man, one very strong, determined man.

"Lemme go!"

Aimee kicked her feet and wiggled, hoping his hands would slip and she could escape. He tightened his grip and pulled her closer under his arm. The man moved quickly, and Aimee couldn't see where they were going. All she could see was people running in every which direction and she didn't recognise anyone anymore. The man rushed through a door, and she realised she was in a stairwell. The man started walking down the stairs, stopping to readjust her a few times before continuing.

"Lemme go!" she screamed again, hoping that whoever it was that had her would realise she could walk on her own steam.

Suddenly the man stopped walking, swung her down to her feet and sat down on the steps. Aimee's eyes widened when she came face to face with Agent Sawyer's angry face as he pinned her between his knees.

He poked a finger at her face. "THAT your handiwork?"

Aimee chewed her lip. She didn't know if she wanted to risk making him any angrier than he appeared to be at the moment. He was as drenched as she was, water dripping down his face; he wiped it away without looking away from her.

"I-I wanted to find Andrew."

"Do you have any idea how much damage you've caused? Special Agent Gibbs is going to tear a strip out of you so big, no one will ever recognise you again!" he said, deadpan.

Aimee stood stock-still, her mouth gaped as water dripped down her face. The words sent a shiver down her spine. She hadn't given much thought to Agent Gibbs. She already felt a bit nervous around the man and she didn't wish to make him mad at her. She blinked back tears as she stared at Agent Sawyer, afraid to speak. In the distance, she could hear the rustle of footsteps on the stairs below them, voices speaking so loudly that they echoed and blended together. No one came near them though causing Aimee to wonder where exactly he had taken her.

Her lip quivered. "I just wanted to…"

"Look, kid, if I were you, I'd shut my mouth and not dig myself a deeper hole. Gibbs is already going to warm your ass."

Aimee felt her heart jump to her throat. Agent Gibbs wouldn't do that, would he? Her mind flooded with memories of when she darted out in front of the car. Deciding that Sawyer might be right, Aimee felt panic rise up within her.

Sawyer ran a hand through his wet hair, but he kept Aimee pinned between his knees. "C'mere."

Sawyer pulled her closer and swung her sideways, ripping her sweater off. The phone in her pocket fell to the floor. The agent stopped briefly to look at what had fallen but then grabbed at her t-shirt and pulled it up over her head.

"You're a little thief too, I see."

"Stop it!" she shouted, struggling to pull her shirt back down.

Sawyer held her tightly, roughly bending her over one knee. "Relax, kid, I just want to take a look at that tattoo everyone's been blathering about."

Aimee felt his cold, wet hand brush against her skin making her shiver even more. She struggled to stand up but he held her down firmly.

"Any idea what this code does?"

"Lemme go!" she shouted, feeling her temper rise up. The panic had left her and had been replaced with indignation.

Sawyer kept holding her over his lap as he reached for his phone on the floor.

"Damn it," he muttered. "This thing had better still work, you little brat."

Aimee could hear him fiddling with his cell phone as she lay upended over his knee. She continued struggling and wiggling but it was no use. He was too strong. Then she heard some clicking noises and realised he was talking pictures with his phone.

"Who tattooed this on you, kid?" Sawyer whistled. "Damn, it must have hurt something fierce."

"I don't remember." Her voice came out almost a whisper. It was true. She didn't exactly remember if it hurt or not. It more felt like a bad dream she couldn't escape from, kind of like now.

Sawyer clicked his tongue. "You're something else, Aimee. Any other kid in this position wouldn't dare to be so sassy."

Aimee's eyes widened when she felt his hand deliver a smart smack to her backside.

Immediately, she started kicking and screaming and flailing her arms to get free. If he was going to play dirty, she was going to scream her head off until someone came to her rescue. That smack had hurt, and there was no way she was going to sit by and let him get in another one.

"Help! Someone HELP!" she screamed, her voice so loud she thought she'd burst her own eardrums. Her voice echoed in the stairwell. She might have been only nine but she wasn't dumb. She heard voices and they would hear hers as well.

Within moments, Sawyer righted her and clamped a firm hand over her mouth.

"Shut up!" he hissed, landing another sharp swat to her backside. "I'm not finished with you yet."

He hauled her over his shoulder and started scurrying up the stairwell.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Gibbs never felt the pain in his aging knees as he darted down the stairs trying to figure out what the hell was going on. The alarms had alerted both Jenny and him of a possible fire and they'd both fled her office quickly. Bedlam seemed to have broken out as everyone rushed to the nearest stair exit. Gibbs and Jenny did their best to help assist people to stay calm as they scurried down the stairs and outside. The alarms were ear piercing and Gibbs was glad to escape them. Catching the sight of Jenny from the corner of his eye, he rested assured that she was safe allowing him to focus on his surroundings. The area was alive with emergency vehicles; fire trucks had arrived and firefighters had already swarmed the building. Gibbs stared upwards expecting to see the upper floors being consumed by lapping flames but his eyes found nothing. Relief flooded through him as he began to search the grounds for his team. He hadn't seen any of them since he'd come outside. It wasn't surprising, though, considering the amount of people meandering around. A smile played on his lips when he thought about how timely it was that he had decided to take some vacation. By the looks of things, the entire Navy yard staff would be taking some forced vacation. He suspected that the water damage would be severe and would take a while to clean up. No one but the cleanup detail would be doing much work for the rest of that week.

"Gibbs!"

A panicked voice reached out to him from across the yard. Gibbs swung around to see Ziva running to his side. His eyes automatically took her in searching for outer injuries before focusing on the words she was saying to him.

"Aimee." Ziva was breathless. "She went to the washroom when the alarms went off, and no one has seen her since."

Gibbs took a deep breath, his face expressionless. He wasn't a man to jump to conclusions and he reminded his heart of that as it fluttered in his chest. It was a large building with a lot of employees. Someone would have seen the little girl and escorted her out. "Where's the rest of the team?"

His question was answered when Tony, carrying Janessa and Tim walked up to him out of the crowd as well. Gibbs heaved an unseen sigh of relief to see Janessa safe. He reached out and wiped her wet hair away from her alarmed eyes.

"My hearts got all wet, Mr. Gibbs. Your barnyard is a pond now."

Gibbs couldn't help but smirk at her. "Guess Ducky will have a reason to spend more time with us." He winked at her. "Don't worry I can get you more pink paper for hearts."

Janessa smiled and rested her head on Tony's shoulder, pulling a thumb into her mouth. Gibbs frowned. He hadn't seen her do that since the first night after her parents were murdered. Even after being kidnapped by Fagan and his henchmen, she hadn't looked this distraught. Gibbs rubbed circles on her small back while making eye contact with Tony. It was really dawning on him how much the kids needed some normalcy and NCIS wasn't it.

"DiNozzo, you're with me. Zivers, McGee, take Janessa back to my house and check on Abbs. Put Ducky up to speed. I don't imagine anyone is going to be working here for the rest of the week. I'll be in touch."

"Sure, Boss."

Tony handed Janessa off to Ziva and followed Gibbs back towards the building. Firefighters were exiting the structure murmuring about it being a false alarm and safe to enter inside once again. Gibbs rubbed his temple, feeling a tension headache coming on. Aimee. Where could she be?

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Aimee jerked her head back and forth to try and escape the wet, firm hand over her lips. More than anything she wanted to sink her teeth into Sawyer's smelly hand. She wrinkled her nose, catching the scent of cigarettes. She kept thinking she should be frightened but for some reason, he was just making her angry. He hadn't really hurt her. She couldn't decide if she should trust him or not. He was an NCIS agent not the bad guy or was he? She kicked her feet trying to get free of his tight grasp but he didn't realise his tight grip and kept walking up staircase after staircase. It was a good thing the building wasn't really on fire or they would be the ones to cook like marshmallows. Of course, Sawyer had the advantage over everyone else leaving the building. He knew there was no fire. Aimee lifted her head and slammed it backward against his chest as hard as could. A smile formed on her lips under his sweaty palm when she heard him grunt. The smile was quickly replaced by a grimace when he rewarded her with a sharp swat to her upper thigh.

"Do that again and you'll be sorry," he warned her.

Aimee continued flailing her head back and forth and sticking her tongue out to make his hand slippery and greasy from her saliva. If someone spat on her hand, she would feel a desperate need to wipe it off. Maybe he would do the same and she would get out a loud scream. She could still hear voices and footsteps below her. How far away were those people? Suddenly Sawyer stopped, and leaned against a wall breathing hard. He re-adjusted Aimee in his arms, pulling her closer to his chest. She could feel his heart beating against her back. After a few moments of catching his breath, he carried her through a doorway.

Aimee's eyes scanned her surroundings. She hadn't been many places in the NCIS building. Mostly just the bullpen, Director Shepard's office, and the cafeteria but she knew there were a lot of people working in the building other than CIS personnel. She'd been in the basement with Ducky in the duck pond as he called it and Abby's lab which was also on another floor, but Aimee had never been this high up. Part of her was curious.

Sawyer set her on her feet and removed his hand, wiping it on his wet pants. Aimee's eyes were wide as she glanced around her new surroundings. Sawyer led her to a chair and pushed her into it.

"Don't move."

Aimee found her voice. "Where are we?"

Sawyer seemed to ignore her as he pulled out his cell phone, hitting speed dial and putting it to his ear.

"Sawyer," he said. Aimee could hear the voice on the other side of the phone but couldn't make out the words. She continued to stare around her, trying to figure out where she was.

Aimee swallowed nervously when Sawyer's gaze landed on her. His eyes seemed to bore into her making her feel extremely anxious.

"You're telling me it's a goddamned App?"

Sawyer's voice boomed out across the room as he began to pace across the floor. Aimee squirmed and slipped her feet to the floor. Sawyer's voice and mannerisms were beginning to frighten her. As much as his anger wasn't directed at her, she couldn't shake the feeling it was the result of her presence. He was a good guy, wasn't he? Ziva liked him. Tony joked around with him. He had to be a good guy. Aimee kept her eyes on Sawyer as she slid herself off the chair and began slowly inching herself away from him.

"Send me the link." Sawyer glared at her but didn't seem to notice that she'd moved. "I'll scan it for you…She's right here, you idiot." Sawyer walked towards her, grabbing her arm and swinging her sideways as he lifted her shirt over her head again.

"Hey!" she protested, fighting against him.

"It's a damned barcode, whaddya think it was? I'll send ya a picture of it."

Aimee struggled again making it difficult for Sawyer to hold her and his phone.

"Hang on, Stratton."

Sawyer dropped the phone into his pocket and dragged Aimee back to the chair. Sitting down, he pinned her between his legs flipping her over knee and pulling her shirt right off her head. Aimee started kicking and fighting back as he held her down over his lap.

"Lemme go!" she shrieked. She was rewarded with several sharp smacks to her backside.

"Keep it up, kid and I'll make it really hurt!"

A whimpered bubbled out of Aimee's lips as she swallowed back tears and reached back to rub the sting out of her backside. She felt Sawyer run his hand across her back again and saw him reach for his phone again. Her stomach flip-flopped as she lay across his lap but she didn't dare struggle anymore. Sawyer had now officially made the top of her most hated list. Good guy or not, he sucked. What was it about that stupid code that had every adult in her life and every subsequent one since acting insane?


	25. Chapter 25

Tony took the stairs two by two, climbing several flights much quicker than he thought possible. He could feel his heart thumping in his chest, enjoying the physical exertion far more than he. The muscles in his legs were complaining loudly as he silently berated himself for skipping one too many workouts and allowing a thick layer of dust to form on his treadmill. He had been in far better shape when he was on the police force. NCIS afforded him unique opportunities that the force could never in a million years offer but even he had to admit that he spent an equal amount of time as a desk jockey and that type of lifestyle wasn't all that great for his physical well-being. Feeling his heart doing a happy twisted kind of tango in his chest, Tony groaned as he forced his legs to comply and keep up the marathon for a few more levels. With all the elevators were out of service because of the alarms, Gibbs had figured with his knees being the more ancient of the two that Tony should start the search at the top and Gibbs at the bottom. Tony had to agree with the elder man's pronouncement. He felt fairly certain Gibbs would have had a coronary by now. Hopefully, between the two of them and Jenny on the ground level, they would be able to quickly find Aimee. A part of him could picture the ragamuffin hiding from them just to get their goats.

Tony reached the top floor and quickly scanned it thoroughly, calling out Aimee's name loudly as he searched. All of the floors had been evacuated so examining each level was not that difficult. Within a half hour, Tony had managed to scope five levels with no luck. Walking down the stairwell to the next level was a cake walk compared to his initial marathon to the top. His heart rate had returned to normal, growing content with a slow dance once more instead of its previous line dancing routine. Tony reached for the next door and swung it open slowly, his mind not really on task anymore. His focus had started to wane somewhat, turning to the case and if they'd ever be able to solve it. He didn't think he'd find Aimee on this floor either, so he was surprised when he heard voices.

"Who's here?"

Tony placed his hand on his weapon more out of habit than concern. He didn't anticipate that anyone dangerous would be hanging around the upper levels of the building. At most, he expected to see a stubborn employee who had decided to stay behind despite the deafening alarms and possible threat. It hadn't been the first time the alarms had been false, so some people bet on it.

"That you, DiNozzo?"

Tony furrowed his brow slightly when he recognised the voice coming from around the corner of the main bullpen area.

"Sawyer?"

Tony picked up his pace, rounded the corner and came face to face with Agent Sawyer, who appeared to be completely exasperated trying to keep a very wild Aimee in his grasp. Sawyer was standing with the kid tossed over one shoulder, her feet kicking frantically.

"Put me down, dummy!" screamed Aimee.

Relief washed over Tony as he reached for his cell phone. He knew Gibbs would be just as relieved to know Aimee was safe. There had been way too much excitement surrounding the girls and Abby lately. Frankly, they all could use a break. Tony hit speed dial on his phone, and Gibbs answered right away.

"Sawyer found her, Boss. 8th Level."

"On my way."

Tony dropped the phone into his pocket as Sawyer dropped Aimee to her feet. The kid's feet hardly touched the floor before she hightailed it full speed towards the exit. Tony adeptly reached out and caught her in his arms. She was unclothed from the waist up, and her skin felt cold to his touch. She must have been freezing from being so wet. Almost in answer to his thought, he felt her shudder under the touch of his warm hands.

"Where do you think you're going, Squirt. We've been worried about you!" he admonished. Tony held her around the waist as she fought against him. "Where'd you find her?"

Sawyer stooped to pick up Aimee's shirt and sweater from the floor. "Found her on the stairwell on my way down, but she took off. I chased her here just a few minutes ago."

Tony nodded. "It's a false alarm…"

"Lemme go!" shouted Aimee fighting with all her strength.

"Yah, I know," said Sawyer, ignoring Aimee's protests and walking towards Tony and handing him her clothing. "You're holding the culprit in your hands."

Tony's frowned and looked at the child in his hands. He set her on her feet and stooped to her level, holding her firmly by her forearms.

"Is Agent Sawyer right? Did you set off the alarms?"

Aimee struggled to get free. "He hit me!"

Tony threw a disapproving look Sawyer's way.

Sawyer shrugged. "Not making any apologies from smacking her ass. She's a hellion!"

"I hate you!" screamed Aimee, shoving Tony hard causing him struggle to keep his balance.

Tony caught himself before he landed on his backside, gripping Aimee a little tighter.

"Aimee, did you set off the alarms?" he repeated, trying to make sense of why Aimee would do something like that.

Aimee glowered at him. The defiant expression on her face told him all he needed to know.

"Do you have any idea how much trouble you've caused? Why would you do that?"

"I want to see Andrew! Lemme go!"

Her face reddened with unbridled rage as she pulled her leg back in an attempt to kick him.

Tony managed to shuffle quickly out the aim of fire and rose to his full height once again. It was no use trying to have a rational conversation with the child. She wasn't in a reasonable mood. He released his grip on her and she dropped to the floor in a huff.

Tony looked at Sawyer disapprovingly and scowled. "Smacking her isn't helping."

Sawyer stuck his hands in his pockets looking unabashed. Sawyer hit Aimee with a crushing glare which she had no trouble returning. Tony shook his head. Unbelievable, he thought. He had a 30-something stubborn mule as well as a nine-year-old. The day just kept getting better and better. Tony couldn't miss the unspoken communication between Sawyer and Aimee causing him to look at his friend with an odd feeling settling in his gut. What had occurred between the two of them before he'd entered the room? Tony turned his attention back to Aimee. He pulled her damp t-shirt back over her head none too gently, his frustration apparent in his action. Aimee balked his rough treatment and pulled her shirt off again.

"It's wet," she complained, shivering again.

Tony sighed. He couldn't blame her for fighting back. Everything in her little world was turned upside down; everyone was a stranger to her and the poor kid was trying to make sense of it all in her head. How was she supposed to know who to trust? He couldn't even imagine how she was feeling. He unbuttoned his dress shirt, pulled it off and wrapped it around her shoulders more gently this time. It was damp but not nearly as wet as Aimee's clothing. He scooped her up in his arms, ignoring her protests. He figured he'd do Gibbs a favour and meet the old man half way.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Gibbs cursed his failing knees as he climbed one more flight. The 8th level might as well have been the 20th for how much they complained. Aging sucked. Loud cries of indignation hit his ears, and he looked up to see Tony carrying a struggling Aimee in his arms with Kyle Sawyer close behind. Aimee's face was flushed. She was screamingly loudly to be put down and pounding on Tony with her fists. Gibbs bit back a smirk. The kid was certainly spirited and a force to be reckoned with, more so than he'd ever seen or anticipated in a small girl. His daughter, Kelly, had been 8 when she died but Gibbs didn't remember her ever being so tenacious. Aimee could win an Olympic medal for her obstinacy.

"Let her go, DiNozzo," said Gibbs as he leaned on the wall a little breathlessly, fully appreciative that Tony had met him half way. He would never take elevators for granted again.

Tony set Aimee down and the kid took the moment to try and bolt back up the stairs. This time Sawyer grabbed her and held her, a look of complete annoyance on his face.

"You're looking at the source of the false alarm, Agent Gibbs," groused Sawyer, carrying Aimee further down the stairs and setting her on her feet directly in front of Gibbs.

Aimee yanked herself away from Sawyer and stood with her arms crossed defiantly staring them all down. Gibbs was speechless. Of all the things that had crossed his mind, Aimee setting off the alarms hadn't been one of them. He looked at Tony to see him nodding his agreement. Aimee glared, and he could feel the anger radiating off the little miscreant. Choosing to ignore Aimee for the moment but keeping an eye on her in case she bolted again, Gibbs turned his attention to the two agents in his midst.

"DiNozzo, do what you can to help Jenny. I can take it from here."

Gibbs saw hesitation on his first in command's face, but the man nodded. Gibbs searched his face, trying to read the expression on his face. He felt like there was more he needed to know but he also sensed that Tony didn't want to discuss things in front of Sawyer. Gibbs made a mental note to speak with Tony as soon as he was able. He didn't feel like he wanted to escalate Aimee further by discussing things in front of her. He could see that the little girl was well on the verge of a full-blown meltdown. Tony stood still for a few more moments as if debating on saying anything else but then turned away and started down the stairs. Gibbs turned his attention to Sawyer.

"Pretty sure your presence is needed by your team as well, don't you think?"

Sawyer scrubbed a hand across his face as he met Gibb's gaze. "Yah, probably, but if I were you, Agent Gibbs, I wouldn't take my eyes off that brat. She's-"

"Thanks," said Gibbs gruffly, cutting the rest of the man's sentence off.

Sawyer offered him a curt smile and took off down the stairs, disappearing into the distance.

Gibbs looked down at Aimee, who met his stare with an irate glare, her arms still crossed in defiance.

"So, it was you who set off the alarms, huh."

"Who cares?" she snapped, stomping her foot.

Gibbs sat down on the stairs, resting an elbow on his knees and scratching his head thoughtfully. It wouldn't help to get angry or to be accusatory. Aimee was already burning in anger, and the best he could do was extinguish the flame.

He patted the spot beside him kindly. "Sit."

Aimee stomped her foot again in response.

Gibbs cast a steely glance her way. He saw her fidget a bit but not relent, stamping her foot a little less forcefully but stomping it nonetheless. He shook his head subtly thinking about how he could intimidate grown men with his gaze and this 80-pound girl hardly flinched. He figured he was better off to take a bit of a detour from his normal route and not command her to obey.

"So, what did you expect to accomplish by your little stunt?"

Aimee dropped her arms, clenching her fists tightly and gritting her teeth.

"I. WANT. TO. SEE. ANDREW!" Fire sparked in her eyes.

Gibbs was impressed with how the kid could staccato her words like a grown adult, even with a measure of control. Definitely a learned behaviour but impressive nonetheless. Gibbs steepled his hands thoughtfully as he drew in a slow, deep breath. He needed to be careful how he handled things. Aimee saw Andrew as her friend, as someone she could trust and no amount of words had changed her mind. Not even the guy threatening to shoot her had dissuaded her or convinced her otherwise. In her mind, Andrew was the one she trusted and it seemed like everyone else was the enemy. Maybe, Gibbs could use that to his advantage.

"Okay, Aimee." Gibbs stood up and reached out his hand. "Let's go talk to Andrew."

Aimee's eyes widened and her jaw dropped open. She couldn't have looked more shocked at the turn of events. Her features softened and her face looked hopeful.

"Do you really mean it?"

"I mean it," he paused carefully, going in for the clincher. "But, before we go, I'd like to know how you managed to set off the sprinklers on every floor of this building."

Aimee looked at her feet, looking calmer and a small, mischievous smirk came across her face. Reaching into the pocket of her jeans, she pulled something out and held it out her hand. Gibbs reached for the item with a look of amusement crossing his face.

"I've always wondered if that would work," he found himself saying.

A bigger smirk. "I did too but not anymore."

Gibbs smirked in return. "Where ya get the lighter?"

"Stole it off Agent Sawyer's desk." Her eyes clouded. "I hate him."

Gibbs concealed a chuckle. The kid was a good judge of character when it came to Sawyer, at least in his mind. Gibbs wasn't exactly the guy's number one fan either.

"Why?"

"He hit me."

Gibbs fingered the lighter for a few moments, taking in the information, feeling ire rise up inside him. Sawyer had no business laying a finger on her, and he planned to have words with the man as soon as he could. He chose to ignore her accusation and address what she did.

"You caused a huge hassle to everyone, Aims, not to mention the damage to most of the building. Did you expect a compliment?"

Aimee's eyes further darkened and Gibbs took it as a hint to back off a bit. She was in no mood to be scolded by him or anyone else, and he was in no position at the moment to start something he couldn't finish with her.

"How'd Sawyer catch you?"

Aimee chewed her lip, her eyes caught between a glare and just a hint of fear. Gibbs took another look to be sure he read her right. He had. There was fear in her eyes. And behind that fear was a flood of tears working their way to the surface.

"What the matter, Aims?"

"Agent Gibbs, why does everyone care so much about my tattoo?"

Gibbs frowned. "What do you ask that, kiddo?" His voice soft.

"Agent Sawyer took pictures with his phone and then he called someone who said to read it with an app."

"An app?" echoed Gibbs, reaching out to pull the large dress shirt that he recognised as Tony's tighter around her shoulders. He noticed the purple hue that dusted the little girl's lips.

"Cold?" he asked, deciding to pack away the rest of the conversation for another time. This wasn't the place. He needed to get her home.

A weary expression flooded her face and she shivered with a nod.

"Let's go home and get you some dry clothes." Before he could finish his sentence, her eyes ignited again but he put his finger to her lips. "And then I'll take you to see Andrew."

"I want to see him NOW!"

Aimee backed away from him, new found determination on her face. She clenched his fists tightly together and looked ready to demolish him. Gibbs stood staring at her, feeling like he'd reached the end of ideas on how to reach her. Her little face was screwed up into almost a permanent defiant scowl then, just as suddenly, her face disappeared into a large almost violent yawn that almost cracked her jaw. Her eyes looked startled then faded into a cloudy mix of exhaustion and tears. On a whim, Gibbs reached out to her and she fell into his arms sobbing. He pulled her up into his arms and began to walk down the stairs as he held her. He realised that he really needed to make some changes.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Gibbs sat on the edge of the table across from Andrew staring at him intently. The man sat stock still returning the glare, albeit looking a lot less arrogant than the last time they spoke. Gibbs chalked it up to being in custody much longer than the cop probably expected. He imagined that the guy had figured his superiors would have been able to get out which made Gibb's bit back a smug smirk. Andrew had no idea who he was dealing with. DCPD was on the bottom of the food chain. The FBI, CIA, and any other acronym you could name didn't hold a candle to NCIS either, especially when it was within their jurisdiction. Andrew had just caught a glimpse of what little control he had and how little control his PD had against NCIS. Gibbs could bury the guy so deeply in a paperwork grave that it would take years before the guy saw the break of dawn.

Andrew licked his dry lips carefully never dropping his gaze. Gibbs had to admit, the guy was brazen. While he looked much less like the Cheshire cat, he still maintained his dignity. Gibbs couldn't help but respect that, and the more time that ticked by, the more Gibbs couldn't figure out if he had misjudged the man or if his mind was playing tricks on him. Profiling people wasn't an exact science, nor a perfect one. It had more to do with instincts and gut feelings. And right now he could admit that his gut felt confused. Andrew was giving him far different vibes than he had before.

Gibbs stood up and cleared his throat. "Aimee wants to see you."

Gibb watched carefully for a reaction to his words. For a brief second, he thought he saw a look of anguish cross the man's features but then nothing, the guy's face remained deadpan.

"I don't want you anywhere near her."

"Smart." Andrew's reply was low, and Gibbs almost didn't catch it.

Walking across the room, Gibbs removed his dress jacket, grabbed a chair and dragged it towards the corner of the room. Standing on it, he draped his jacket over the camera and stepped down unceremoniously. He looked towards the mirror, cut his finger across his throat, hesitating for several seconds before reaching for the light switch and flicking it off. Turning, he saw an empty observation room. He spun on his heel and looked at Andrew.

"We're alone."

"We are never alone, Agent Gibbs. You're fooling yourself if you think otherwise."

Gibbs leaned on the table, getting into the guy's personal bubble. "Indulge me, anyway."

Andrew scowled as he rose to his feet. Gibbs waited for some kind of further reaction, but the guy just stood still staring. Then Gibbs noticed the man's eyes blinking oddly…rapidly. Gibbs frowned. He couldn't tell if the guy was expelling nervous energy, he had something in his eyes or he was having some kind of a seizure. He moved closer to the guy, standing directly in front of him, trying to discern things. Andrew didn't move but continued to blink rapidly while keeping his eyes steadfast on Gibbs.

"Aimee has a tattoo on her back. What do you know of it?"

The man flinched at his words, increasing the blinking making it impossible for Gibbs to ignore. Gibbs narrowed his eyes as he thought he noticed a pattern to the blinking. Standing still thinking his mind was playing tricks on him, he again tried to push the annoying behaviour out of his head.

"She wants to see you, Mr. Andrew, and I told her I'd let her. I can't seem to convince her that you're a piece of scum and up to no good. For some reason, she thinks you're the good guy."

Andrew's eyes opened wide for a second then continued blinking quickly again. Gibbs quirked a brow when the pattern to the blinking hit him square in the gut. The guy just blinked a word.

 _Danger._

Andrew wasn't having a seizure; he was blinking a damned code. Morse code. The sudden realisation clicked his marine mind into high gear as it took over the deciphering without him needing to give it much thought. Gibbs was surprised by the look on the man's face. It seemed like the more he mentioned Aimee, the more pain masked Andrew's face. He continued blinking his eyes.

"She's right outside this door."

More blinking.

 _Keep her safe._

"I made her a promise."

Rapid blinking.

 _Trust no one._

"I want out of here, Agent Gibbs. Enough stalling. You've got nothing on me."

Blink. Blink. Blink. Rapid blinks.

 _I will be more use to you on the outside._

Gibbs raked a hand through his hair. His jaw hovered between dropping in dismay and opening to let out a whole string of frustrated expletives. Instead, silence reigned in the room, an uncomfortable quietness that permeated all the crevices. Andrew was telling him that Aimee was in danger.

 _Don't let anyone decipher that code._

Gibbs eyes widened and he licked his lips. "If I don't let her see you, she will shut down, Andrew."

More blinks.

 _Let me out so I can help._

"Consider this your one and only warning. If you say or do something that makes things worse, it will be the last thing you do." The threat lingered in the room.

The blinking deftly continued.

 _She's the key to Pandora's box._

Gibbs sighed and walked towards the door. Andrew's code words were making his headache. He was telling him things that didn't make sense. Gibbs forced himself to focus on the task at hand. He promised Aimee she could see Andrew. If he didn't keep his word, she would never trust him. His gut was churning around berating and warning him. Gibbs ignored it and opened the door. Aimee jumped to her feet as she looked at Gibbs expectantly, Ziva standing in the wings. Gibbs nodded and Aimee flew past him in a heartbeat. Gibbs turned on his heel to see the little girl throw herself into Andrew's arms. The man's eyes closed as he seemed to lovingly and sincerely embrace the child causing Gibbs and Ziva to watch in bewilderment.

"Andrew," sobbed Aimee, clutching him in a death grip around the neck.

"Shh, Darlin. I'm here."

Gibbs cast Ziva a kind look before returning to the room and closing the door once more. He leaned against it and listened. After several minutes, Andrew sat down on the chair and forced Aimee away from him. He lifted her chin with a finger, forcing her to look into his eyes.

"We don't have much time, Darlin. You need to listen to me, okay?"

Aimee shook her head and put her arms around his neck again. "Don't leave me!"

Gibbs' heart felt heavy as he watched the girl tremble in Andrew's arms. It was abundantly clear how much she trusted him. Good guy or not, Aimee only saw him as noble.

Andrew pulled her hands away from his neck.

"You must listen to Agent Gibbs now. Trust him."

"But-"

He shook her. "No, listen. Agent Gibbs will keep you safe." Andrew's face looked both firm and grim.

Aimee stood to her feet, her face confused. "You said you're gonna take me to my daddy."

Andrew looked from Aimee to Gibbs. The blinking had ceased. His face furthered shrouded in pain and misery. He licked his lips and inhaled deeply before speaking.

"He's dead, Aimee."

Aimee's face paled. Her mouth opened but no sound came out. Betrayal was written across her young face.

"I needed you to trust me, Darlin; I didn't want Jonathan to hurt you anymore."

Aimee shook her head as tears flooded her eyes and streamed down her cheeks.

"Everyone's dead! You didn't stop ANYTHING! You said you would take me to my daddy! You lied! I trusted you!" She beat her fists against his chest. "I hate you!"

Aimee crumpled to the floor, covering her face with her hands and succumbing to sobs.

Gibbs' heart ached to hold her but he stopped himself as Andrew stood to his feet and moved away from her. The man's face told a different story than the line he was feeding Aimee, and Gibbs finally understood. Andrew and Gibbs made eye contact for a brief second and Gibbs nodded his unspoken gratitude.


	26. Chapter 26

Several days later, Gibbs received a troubling phone call informing him that Andrew had been killed in the line of duty during a gang-related burglary. MS-13 was suspected to be involved but there were no solid leads. Andrew left behind a wife, two grown children, and a broken little girl that Gibb didn't know how to piece back together. Gibbs was left with more questions than answers, and he didn't have the heart to tell Aimee; the little girl seemed to have shut down. Her spirit vanished, replaced by an angry shadow of rage. Gibbs had hoped Andrew pulling away would force Aimee to place her trust in another, possibly even him, but she retreated into herself and became more like a cornered injured animal acting on instinct. As each day crept into another, Gibbs felt more disheartened.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Gibbs ran his sawdust covered hand along the smooth grain of the wood. He smiled with pride at how well the seasoned wood had accepted the weathering. He wanted to make sure that the object would withstand plenty of use and possible abuse. He reached up and scratched an itch on his nose only to hear a giddy giggle from below him. Gibbs quirked a brow and peeked his head under the workbench to see a blonde head scurry further into the shadows. He reached down quickly and scooped a squealing little girl into his arms.

"Hey, Snoopy, I thought I told you to stay upstairs with Abby."

Janessa giggled and poked him in the nose with her tiny finger. "Whaddya making, Mr. Gibby?"

Gibbs pursed his lips trying not to break out into a laugh as he hoisted the squirming, giggling girl onto his hip. Unable to keep a good grip on her, he placed a foot on the ledge under his bench and managed to settle her on his knee.

"It's a surprise for you and Aimee, so," He poked her nose in return. "I can't tell you."

Janessa tried to bite his finger with her teeth and Gibbs pulled his hand away quickly.

"You don't want to bite my hand, Little Miss." He held up a dirty hand so she could see them. "They're all covered in sawdust and paint."

Janessa growled at him, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "I'm a hungry lion and I'm gonna eat you."

This time Gibbs broke out laughing. He had a very hard time keeping up with Janessa's wild imagination.

"Oh, yeah?" He held up his fingers in the air and wiggled them. "I'm the big, bad tickle monster, and I'm going to tickle you until you pee your pants."

Janessa shrieked and dissolved into giggles as Gibbs gently tickled her ribs.

"Ahem," came a soft voice from the bottom of the stairs.

Gibbs looked up to see Abby staring at him with a large grin on her face. His heart still ached when he saw her bandaged fingers still in splints, but he was glad to see some light behind her eyes again.

"Abby," squealed Janessa. "H-help me!"

Gibbs stopped his onslaught for a few moments while Janessa gasped for breath. Abby lingered on the stairs giving Gibbs the impression she had something on her mind. He looked down at Janessa as an idea came to him.

"Let's tickle Abby!"

Janessa nodded and squirmed out of Gibbs grasp, running across the room to tackle Abby. Abby shrieked and scurried towards Gibbs. Gibbs smirked as he reached out and pulled Abby into his arms. Janessa soon joined them and he proceeded to attack both of them. The laughter that resonated in the room filled his heart with joy. Things felt overwhelming and there seemed to be no immediate solutions, but Gibbs was content in the moment to be thankful. It was the little things that healed his heart and he hoped it mended Abby's too. She'd been so quiet ever since she'd been kidnapped and injured. Gibbs was worried about her. He wasn't a person of many words, but he knew that keeping things buried inside had a way of eating you up alive, and he didn't want to see that happen to Abby.

"Gibbs!" pleaded Abby, out of breath. "Please stop!"

Gibbs chuckled and took a step back. Both Abby and Janessa sunk to the floor trying to gain their composure. Abby's hair had pulled out of one of her pigtails, her face pink from exertion. Janessa's dress had slipped up to her chest, exposing her pink underwear and one of her socks had been kicked off. She stood up, straightening her dress looking partly indignant.

"You don't play fair, Mr. Gibbs. You can't tickle a hungry lion; he'd eat you."

Gibbs shrugged. "Next time, don't try to eat the Tickle Monster."

Janessa held her foot up with a pout. "You made my sock fall off."

Gibbs reached out to tickle it and Janessa screeched again. "No! Bad Tickle Monster!"

Abby stood up and punched his arm. "Bad Monster."

"Ouch."

"I'm going to eat McGee instead. He doesn't tickle," said Janessa heading towards the stairs.

Gibbs ran towards her and scooped her up in his arms. Janessa let out another squeal as Gibbs planted a kiss on her blonde head.

"Next time, no snooping around down here when I tell you not too. Understand?"

Janessa's eyes widened as she realised he was being serious now. "Am I in big trouble?"

"Nope, but you will be if you disobey me again. Now shoo! Go eat McGee, little lioness."

Gibbs set her on her feet and gently propelled her towards the steps with a playful swat. Janessa turned and held up her hands, baring her teeth and growling like a lion before disappearing up the steps. Gibbs stared after her and shook his head with a chuckle. Janessa was a breath of fresh air in a very stifling place. Her unpredictable, sunny personality brought joy to everyone. Gibbs had to remind himself to remember that she needed guidance as well and not everything she did was cute and funny. Only, pretty much everything she did made him laugh.

"She has you wrapped around her cute little finger."

Gibbs walked towards Abby and wrapped her in a hug, planting a kiss on her brow.

"I know few other girls who have that power over me as well," he commented as he picked up his sanding block. He ran his hand across the grain once again, admiring his handiwork.

Abby smirked. She leaned against his work bench, chewing on her lip.

Gibbs continued working quietly knowing that Abby had something on her mind. He figured that she would talk when she was ready. She'd been avoiding him and changing the subject whenever he'd tried to talk with her. One thing he'd learned about Abby was that the more he pushed, the more she pushed him away.

"Gibbs."

He kept sanding without looking at her. "Abbs."

He saw Abby fidgeting with her hands. "How are your hands feeling?"

"Fine."

"I'm glad."

"Gibbs."

Gibbs looked up at her this time. He could see the pain resonating in her eyes.

"Do you hate me?"

Gibbs felt his heart skip a beat. Was that what she thought? How on earth had her mind traveled in that direction? He continued sanding waiting to see where she would take the conversation and not daring to say much.

"Nope."

"You mad at me?"

"Nope."

"You should be," she said, continuing to fidget nervously.

"Why?"

Abby shrugged her shoulders.

Gibbs stopped and leaned on the bench waiting for her answer. He had a lot of emotions coursing through him but anger wasn't one of them. Frustration possibly but not anger.

"Because it's all my fault."

BINGO. He'd suspected as much. Abby could easily take the weight of the world on her shoulders. Granted, she'd made some mistakes and learned some hard lessons as a result, but Abby's heart was always in the right place. It made her all the more endearing to him. Gibbs took a deep breath and steeled himself to be firm. His heart was demanding him to wrap her in his arms, but his head told him she needed some resolution first. He turned to look at her and placed his hands on his hips, looking every bit paternal.

"How is it your fault, Abbs?"

Abby swallowed and shrugged her shoulders.

"Nope, don't do that. You can't come down here and say that and not explain yourself." His voice held a warning in it. He wasn't going to let her walk away from this. "Why is it your fault?"

He gave her a steely glance which made her squirm.

"Because, Giiiibbbbs," her voice a loud whine, making her sound much younger than she was. "I ruined everything. I told Fagan things about NCIS I shouldn't have, and now I know that he's not who he pretended to be. You won't let me go back to work and Director Shepard said I'm on leave. All that means is that I'm going to be fired." A sob caught in her throat.

"Abby, you're injured. You're not physically able to work. And even if you were, I already told you that you're banned from your labs until I'm sure you're safe. What part of that don't you understand?"

Abby blinked back tears. "I'm not fired?"

"Nope."

"I should be."

Gibbs sighed and dropped his arms to his sides. He was trying to maintain a certain stern appearance but her demeanor was killing him. She was punishing herself enough for everyone.

"Abbs, listen to me. Yes, you shouldn't have been sharing classified information with Fagan, and I hope to God you've learned something from all this, but none of this is your fault. You had no idea that he was involved in human trafficking. You're damned lucky nothing worse happened to you when he had you snatched off the streets." Gibbs hesitated when he eyed her hands. She'd been through hell and back.

Tears fell down Abby's cheeks. "What's gonna happen, Gibbs?"

Gibbs walked towards her and pulled her into a tight embrace.

"I dunno, Abbs, but you're not alone, okay? Stop blaming yourself." He gave her a little shake. "You listening to me?" He felt her nod but she remained quiet. It wasn't much, but it was a start.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Sawyer dusted his pants off as he stood to his feet. He'd spent the last several hours staking out Stratton's apartment. The guy's house was like a turnstile with different people coming and going, each individual looking as respectable as the next. No one could have guessed how dirty the guy truly was. He touched elbows with the best of the best. Sawyer's stomach churned. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and he flipped through the pictures he'd taken of Aimee. He'd recognised the tattoo the moment he set eyes on it. He'd seen the coding before and had recognised it. It made him feel sick that it was on a little girl. There was some kind of sick, sardonic irony in it. He felt worn. It was getting harder to keep up his cover, and he didn't like what he needed to do to put an end to everything. He might lack a conscience in some things, but he hadn't allowed himself to sink to scum level yet. Human trafficking was one thing. While he abhorred it, he could still sleep at night. But when it came to children, his heart berated him and the black circles under his eyes told a dark story.

He'd worked with NCIS as part of an undercover operation for the better part of two years. He always made it look like he was some kind of playboy who was playing a good game of scrambling his way to the top. He had to admit, he was impressed with his ability to fool everyone. He never thought he had any acting in his blood. His mother always said she could read him like a book. He had grown better at deceit over the years. He wasn't proud of it, but it certainly helped. It was the only thing that was keeping him under the radar and still alive. Just what was he anyway? Was he an agent? Was he a double agent? Was he a double-double agent? All he did know was he was tired of the charade. He was ready to give up, but too much was at stake. But, still, part of him wished he'd never agreed to be a part of it. And lately, the only thing that was keeping him focussed was the memories of his own daughter. Brooke.

Sawyer shook off the memories. He wasn't going to allow himself to travel down memory lane. Not now. Not ever. Brooke was dead and no amount of remembering was going to bring her back. He used the pain to keep him focussed. He couldn't afford to make a mistake. Stratton was going to pay for his crimes, and Sawyer was going to make sure of it. Death was too good for the man. Sawyer wanted him to suffer.

Sawyer bit down on his lip hard as he looked the picture of the code tattooed on Aimee's back. That code held enough evidence to bring down an entire crime ring. It held detailed transactions of money exchanged by countries all across the world. It held bank pins and accounts with billions of dollars. Sawyer had no idea why Percy would have done that to a small child. It must have some kind of sick joke to him or maybe it was his way to protect her? Had Percy had compassion for the child? Did he plan to sell her to the top bidder, make millions and still save her life? Sawyer figured the truth was Aimee didn't need to be alive to use that code. Dead or alive, it would work. His gut churned. He grimaced at the thoughts running through his head. He didn't want to even think the things he was thinking. But he had to.

His phone rang in his hand.

"Sawyer."

"Where are you?" shouted a voice, forcing him to pull the phone away from his ear.

"Outside Stratton's apartment."

"Where's the girl?"

"Safehouse."

"Damnit, Sawyer, you have a job to do. Why the hell are you stalling?"

Sawyer sighed loudly and he heard the voice on the other end soften in response.

"You don't have any choice, Kyle. I know it's hard, but there are millions of lives at stake here, not just one child. And, listen to me, man, that kid isn't Brooke."

Sawyer's temper rose. "I always have a choice, god damned it. You don't own me. This is a job, not my life."

"You keep telling yourself that."

Sawyer felt tears sting his eyes. Who was he trying to fool? He had promised himself that he wouldn't rest until he brought Stratton down. It had become more than just a personal vendetta, it had become his obsession.

"Bring the kid in, Sawyer."

Sawyer sighed painfully as he dropped the phone into his pocket. His job would have been a lot easier if he didn't have to face Gibbs and pull the carpet out from under the man. It was time he learned the truth, and it wasn't going to be pretty. Not for any of them.


	27. Chapter 27

_**A/N Thanks for the reviews. :)**_

Sawyer bent over, breathing hard as he raised one hand in self-defense and used the other hand to wipe off the blood from the corner of his mouth.

"Just listen to me, for Pete's sake!"

His answer was another punch to his already smarting face. The impact sent him flying backward and he landed harshly on the grass. He held up both his hands this time, trying to block the blows. He wasn't going to fight back this time. He knew he had some of it coming but he also was no match for the man throwing the punches either.

"Get up, you son of…"

"DiNozzo! Back off!"

Sawyer's eyes darted towards the voice coming to his defense. His heart was crashing so hard against his chest; he thought it would leap out and dance a jig down the street. He choked back blood that pooling in his throat and the metallic taste made him want to gag. He was fairly certain his nose was broken and his ears were ringing loud enough to make him wonder if he would ever hear right again. Sawyer scrambled to his feet and backed up as far as he could until he felt his back against the building. From the corner of his eye, he saw the detailed brick design of the house. If he hadn't been terrified that Tony was going to kill him, he might have thought to admire the handiwork of the brickwork.

"Tony! Take a walk and cool off!" said Gibbs. His tone left no room for argument.

Sawyer heaved a sigh of relief when the severely ticked off man stalked a few feet away from them. Sawyer spit a mouthful of blood into the grass and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. When he caught his breath, he made eye contact with Gibbs only to wonder if the elder man was going to talk to him or finish the job Tony started.

"It was never meant-"

"Stop!" commanded Gibbs, holding one hand in the air. "You answer my questions."

Sawyer's head pounded as he wilted under Gibbs' steely glare.

"Where do those little girls come into the picture?"

Sawyer sighed. "Look, those kids were never part of anything. We've been watching Percy for a couple of years once we figured out what he was up to. Percy was the one who decided to use Aimee as a human USB drive. Somewhere in his demented mind, he probably thought he was saving her life. Stratton has no conscience. Percy was fooling himself if he thought it would keep her safe."

Gibbs eyes darkened further as Sawyer's words sunk in.

"Who do you work for?"

"FBI. Peter Adderley is heading up the whole case. Go ahead, ask Fornell."

Gibbs' brows disappeared into his hairline.

"What do you know about Andrew?"

"He was working undercover for Adderley. His job was to get Aimee to trust him and give him information about Percy. He accidently tripped across the abuse going on in the home. He got personally involved and showed up the night Stratton murdered Percy and his wife and kid. He intended to get Aimee out. He didn't know she had sisters until he arrived. Aimee freaked out and Andrew ended up witnessing everything."

"He saw the murders?"

Sawyer nodded. "Word on the street was Stratton had him taken out."

Gibbs frowned. "Who exactly is Stratton?"

"He's the Kingpin for MS-13 in DC."

Gibbs looked unconvinced. "That makes no sense. MS-13 is primarily Salvadorian."

"MS-13 members typically work for legitimate businesses by presenting false documentation. They primarily pick employers that don't scrutinize employment documents. Stratton is one of the wealthiest tycoons in DC. He recruits new members by glorifying the gang lifestyle (often on the Internet, complete with pictures and videos) and by absorbing smaller gangs. DC has 1000's of street kids. It's easy for him. Andrew was working on the underground human trafficking aspect. He tripped across Aimee by accident."

Gibbs ran a hand through his hair and began pacing as he digested the information.

"Fornell knows about all this?"

Sawyer shook his head. "No, he knows of the operation but not the details. It's all classified information. It's pivotal that everything stay confidential. NCIS has an informant-"

"Andrew told me."

"We don't know who it is but every damned thing from your case, Gibbs, EVERY lead you had was leaked in detail to Stratton."

Gibbs licked his lips, his brows furrowed. "What does this all have to do with the tattoo on Aimee's back?"

Sawyer swallowed slowly and grimaced. His throat kept filling with blood and part of him felt like he was choking in it.

"I think my nose is broken."

Gibbs scowled with no sympathy on his face.

"Look, Gibbs, I've just being doing my job. I'm not the bad guy here."

Gibbs grabbed Sawyer by the scruff of the neck, invading his personal space. His face was enraged.

"Aimee's tattoo."

Sawyer looked past Gibbs to see Tony staring at him from a couple of feet away. His six-foot frame stood tall; his face hadn't changed. Sawyer swallowed more blood, the metallic taste making his stomach retch. Gibbs released his shirt and continued to glare. Sawyer straightened his shirt.

"You need to understand that I can't tell you any more. I've already told you too much, and I've told you so you'll understand why I need to take Aimee."

The colour drained from Gibbs face as his hands dropped to his sides.

Sawyer never saw Tony come out from behind Gibbs. The enraged man came out of nowhere and smashed his fist into Sawyer's jaw, slamming his head against the brick house. Sawyer's head felt like it was driven through a glass barrier and hundreds of shards of glass were being embedded into his skull. His vision went dark for several moments as he struggled to gain his footing.

"Damn it, DiNozzo, you're gonna kill him," said Gibbs, his voice echoing around Sawyer's consciousness.

"How long were you going to keep up this charade, Sawyer? Huh? I thought you were my friend. We drank together. I had you in my house, for Pete's sake, and the whole time you were lying to us?" Tony's voice was venomous.

Sawyer tried to shake the cloudy feeling in his head. He steadied himself and glared at Tony with his hands up in self-defense. If Tony hit him again, he was going to level the guy. He'd reached his limit.

"Get off your high horse, DiNozzo. I have a job to do; the same as you. I get an assignment and I follow through on it. So back off and shut the hell up! You don't even know me!"

Sawyer felt his back up. All pretenses were gone. This whole thing had gone way past what should be expected of an agent. He'd already given up three years of his life to the case and he'd had enough. He wasn't the bad guy they all thought he was.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Gibbs grabbed Tony once again and pulled him off Sawyer. He didn't think he'd ever seen his friend so angry and Gibbs couldn't quite figure out why in the moment. Tony seemed enraged to the point where he seemed to be out of control. It wasn't like the man to lose it like this.

"Tony."

Gibbs voice held a tone of warning in it. It held an almost a paternal warning to it. He wanted Tony to back down and get himself under control. Tony spun around on him and cast him a steely glare that actually shocked Gibbs. It wasn't often that Tony came so unglued. Gibbs reached out and put a firm, almost painful hand on his second in commands' shoulders.

"Back down."

Tony huffed and took a step back but his glare remained deadly.

Gibbs looked at Sawyer. The man wasn't in good shape. Tony had pounded the living crap out of him before Gibbs had even come in on the scene. From the looks of things, Sawyer hadn't fought back. He had to give the man credit for that. It wasn't easy for a man to allow himself to beaten within an inch of his life and not raise a hand to defend himself.

"You're not taking Aimee anywhere. She's in my protective custody, Mr. Sawyer and the only way she leaves my sight is over my cold, dead body. You got that?"

Sawyer laughed sardonically. "Who died and made you king of the world, Gibbs? Huh? News Flash: You know nothing! You might have some pull with NCIS, and let's be clear, you don't have much, but this supersedes all of us. COINTELPRO overrules every other secret police service. It's so classified that even the Vice President is out of the loop." The man put a hand to the back of his neck in an attempt to rub away some of the pain in his head.

Gibbs felt his pulse beating in his neck. "You're lying. COINTELPRO was terminated in '71 by Hoover."

Sawyer shook his head and let out a sickening chuckle. "I thought you were smarter than that, Gibbs. Think about it. Do you think the American government is going to let the likes of MS-13 infiltrate and destroy the United States?"

"What the hell is COINTELPRO?" growled Tony, who was standing behind Gibbs with his fists clenched ready to throw another mind numbing punch at Sawyer.

Gibbs held a hand up to silence him. "Counter Intelligence."

Tony's mouth formed a soft O and then dropped his chin. Gibbs knew he had more questions but given the glare, he had leveled the man Tony had had enough self-preservation to shut up and stop probing.

Sawyer clapped his hands together, his face expressionless. "Covert, mostly illegal projects conducted by specially trained FBI agents aimed at surveilling, infiltrating, discrediting and disrupting domestic political organizations."

"Ms-13 isn't political," hissed Tony.

This time Sawyer threw his head back and full out laughed. Gibbs scowled and subtly shook his head feeling a dark, white and dangerous anger building up inside of him. The anger wasn't directed towards Sawyer, it went much further than that.

"You have no damned idea just how political that crime organisation really is, DiNozzo. Who the hell is up for governor next year? Huh? They have roots so deep that more than half the individuals involved don't even know just how insidious things really are. Aimee's tattoo holds information that will take the whole damned crime ring down, Gibbs. Percy managed to figure the whole thing out. How he did it, I have no idea. Had he been an honourable man, he could have ended things years ago, but all that son of a bitch could see was dollar signs." Sawyer's voice was full of rabid disgust. "The information on that barcode will put half the big Whigs in United States and the world, for that matter, behind bars for a very long time."

Gibbs drew in a deep breath allowing the information to sink in. What did this all mean to Aimee? She was a nine-year-old girl and, for some demented reason that only one crazy, dead psychopath knew, he decided to mark her with data so treacherous making her most coveted child in the world right now. What would possess someone to do that? Aimee didn't need to be alive for that code to work.

"You bring here whatever it takes to upload that info from her, Sawyer, and then we're going to remove it."

Sawyer's face paled. "You can't."

"Can't what?"

"Remove it."

Tony walked up beside Gibbs and joined him in glaring daggers at Sawyer.

"It's not just a tattoo. It's an implant too. Any attempt at tampering with it will trigger a watchdog to go off."

Gibbs' brow lifted. "Meaning?"

"It'll self-destruct."

Tony shook his head in disbelief. "Liar. McGee has been scanning that thing with a hundred different programs. Try again."

Sawyer stood tall, rolling his head around and lifting his shoulders to shake out the ache.

"McGee was never even close to cracking it, DiNozzo. If I had been worried about that, I would have snatched her up ages ago. It's an application." He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, bringing up the photo of the tattoo. "Only one thing will read it."

"What's that?"

Sawyer scrolled through his pictures and held up his phone.

Gibbs felt all the colour drain from his face. His knees felt weak. Sawyer's hands shook as he held up the design on his cell phone. The picture was the designs to a very sophisticated laser. Gibbs had seen the designs before, many years ago. He thought it had been thrown out, part of a failed experiment project during the Gulf War. Obviously not. Gibbs swallowed at the truth settled into his gut. Aimee was going to die either way. There was absolutely no way to read that code without killing her.


	28. Chapter 28

_**A/N Just some fluff in this chapter...Abby and Aimee need some loving.**_

 _ **Thanks for the reviews. :)**_

 _ **Anyone else sick of the winter yet? I need SUN! All these gray days are making me feel gloomy like Eeyore. "Doesn't matter anyway."**_

 _ **Without further ado...the next chapter awaits you.**_

 _ **Enjoy :)**_

Many thoughts consumed Gibbs' mind over the next several days. His own emotions were all over the place when he allowed himself to dwell on the what ifs. Taking some time off would have been a good idea but the reality was he wasn't really on vacation at all. His mind wouldn't allow him to rest even when he was home. Gibbs was off site but basically still on duty because his mind never stopped working on the details. He couldn't rest knowing Aimee was still in danger, nor could he figure out the connection between Aimee and Abby either. It still weighed heavy on him and a blanket of gloom seemed to settle over his home and his team. Tony was still bitterly angry that NCIS had been, for all intents and purposes, duped by the FBI. Sawyer had blown his cover and was assigned to Gibb's team temporarily and that irked Tony to no end. The FBI agent gone NCIS agent gone rogue knew detailed information regarding Jonathan Percy, and Stratton's involvement, intel that NCIS didn't. It was a convoluted, sinister and gut-wrenching case. Gibbs wasn't happy that he'd been placed smack in the centre of it either and a part of him wanted to blame Tobias Fornell. Gibbs had spent weeks trying to contact the man, and Fornell hadn't bothered to return any of his calls. It was completely unlike the man to be so indifferent. Fornell should have been the guy he could count on to let him in on what was happening on the FBI side of things. Sawyer wasn't at liberty to say much at all and it annoyed Gibbs to no end. How was he supposed to do his job when he was stuck in such a dark hole of ambiguity?

The sun was still high in the sky as Gibbs' wiped sweat off his face with the back of his hand. He'd been working off some stress by chopping wood for that past couple hours in his backyard. From his vantage point, he was able to see Aimee and Janessa playing in the treehouse. Abby had insisted on making something for supper that didn't come out of a box and couldn't be ordered from a pamphlet in Gibbs' kitchen drawer. The rest of the team had been cordially invited by Abby, _upon pain of death_ , to dine at Gibb's house that evening. Abby had insisted that Gibbs keep the girls out of the house and out from under her feet. Gibbs had begun to notice that Abby's patience was wearing thin where the girls were concerned. Only, deep down, Gibbs knew it had nothing to do with the girls at all, but more to do with Abby's headspace as of late. She had been refusing to open up and talk to anyone about what happened with Mulligan, and Gibbs knew she still hadn't forgiven herself over her connection with Fagan. He just hadn't decided what he should do about it yet. Abby was usually best left alone until she was ready to talk, but some of her behaviour had set off red flags in his mind forcing him to believe he might need to do something sooner rather than later. Just what, he had no idea.

Gibbs swung the ax down hard sending wood pieces flying in every which direction. He reached out and grabbed another chunk, setting in in place and taking another hard swing. Aimee was another one that rated high on his I-have-no-idea-what-to-do-with-her lists. She was a handful just normally but since the whole incident with Andrew, she'd been more than just out of control and angry, she'd been downright, well, Gibbs couldn't even put it into words. He'd only been a father for 8 years before Kelly was taken from him and even then he'd had Shannon backing him up. Aimee was an enigma, and everyone seemed to look at him like he should know how to handle her. He had no clue half the time and felt like he was flying by the seat on his pants. Granted, most of the time since he'd brought the girls home, he'd been so cumbered with his thoughts and working out plans to keep on top of the case, that he hadn't been paying her much attention. He simply kept brushing her behaviour aside and hoping she'd settle into some type of routine. Unfortunately, she just seemed to get worse instead of better, and between her and Abby, he didn't know who he should be concerned about more.

A sharp scream pulled him out of his thoughts. He looked towards the treehouse and was shocked to see little pink running shoes swinging in the air outside the window. Shivers spiraled down his spine as he took off running at full speed towards the play structure. Goosebumps formed on his arms when he saw Janessa hanging from the outside of the window, attempting to kick her feet to the closest tree limb.

"Hang on, Nessa, I'll get ya!"

He scrambled up the rope ladder rather clumsily wishing he hadn't made the fort's steps retractable. His hands burned as he wrapped his leg around the rope and hoisted his weight up as quickly as possible. He called out to Aimee, expecting to see her scrambling to help her sister, and found it odd when he didn't see her right away.

"Aims?"

He called out her name again only to see her walk out of the shadows with her arms crossed with an angry pouty look on her face.

Gibbs frowned in confusion. "Why did Janessa climb out the window?" he said gruffly as he rushed by her towards the window.

She grimaced at the sharp tone in his voice as he poked his head out of the window to see Janessa struggling desperately to hold on all the while screaming and trying to kick her feet over to the nearest branch.

"Janessa, grab my hand!" he ordered, reaching out as far as he could to grasp her around her small waist.

"N-nooo," she whimpered. "I'm gonna fall!"

"No, you won't. Trust me."

The little girl shook her head adamantly and continued to flail her feet. Gibbs could see her hands slipping from the branch she clung to. He groaned and braced himself against the window sill, scraping his stomach and arms as he reached out further and snatched the small child into his arms. Janessa let out a loud screech in his ear as he pulled her to safety. Once inside the safety of the treehouse, he sunk down to the floor with Janessa trembling in his arms. He took a deep breath and hugged her to his chest for a few minutes just listening to his own pulse dance the tango in his chest. Aimee stood watching with her arms crossed and a grouchy expression on her face. Ignoring Aimee for the moment, Gibbs gained his composure and swung Janessa around to face him.

"What on earth were trying to do, Janessa?"

His voice sounded sharp, and he silently rebuked himself when the little girl's bottom lip began to quiver and tears filled her eyes.

"I wanted down."

"Why didn't you use the steps?"

Tears spilled onto Janessa's cheeks. "I can't put them down by myself."

"Why didn't you ask Aimee help you?"

Gibbs cast a steely glare in Aimee's direction as he said the words hoping she would answer.

Janessa shrugged her shoulders. "She said no."

Gibbs felt his heart quicken as he looked Aimee straight in the eyes.

"That true?"

Aimee licked her lips, an icy glare on her face. "We're playing Shipwreck and you can't leave in the middle of the ocean."

Gibbs rose to his feet and hoisted Janessa up onto his hip, ducking slightly so he didn't whack his head on the roof. He moved into the middle of the fort so he could stand straight.

"You could have let her use a rowboat," he said, deciding to play along a little to lighten the mood.

Janessa sniffled. "That's what I said, but Aimee said Pirate Ships don't have rowboats." An indignant look came over her face as she poked a finger towards Aimee. "She made me walk the plank. I could have been chewed up by the same alligator that gobbled up Captain Hook's hand."

Gibbs bit back a smirk that was creeping to his lips. He was never fully ready for what Janessa would say next. Sometimes it was hard not to break out laughing.

"You could have fallen to the ground and that's much worse," he scolded. "Don't ever climb out that window again or you will be in big trouble with me. Got it?"

Janessa nodded and a few tears fell down her cheeks. Gibbs knew she wasn't used to being scolded and she didn't like it one tiny bit. He also could tell by the somber look on her face that she wouldn't dare disobey him. It just wasn't in her nature. He wished it would be the same with Aimee, but she was a whole different animal.

He turned his attention to Aimee and hit her with a sharp look. "You told her to climb out the window?"

Aimee rolled her eyes and huffed crossly. "I'm the Captain. If she doesn't do what the Captain says, she gets to walk the plank."

Gibbs allowed Janessa to slip to the floor and he reached out to grab Aimee by the hand, pulling her towards the window a bit more roughly than he meant too. He was frustrated that she didn't understand the danger Janessa had been in. Holding her firmly by the waist, he knelt down to her level and pointed out the window to the ground below.

"Do you see how far down that drop is?" He gave her a stern shake. "If Janessa had let go, she might have broken her arm or leg or worse. That is a very long fall." Gibbs' eye caught sight of the screen across the room, leaning against the wall. "Did you remove the safety screen?"

When Aimee gave him no answer, he felt his temper percolate a little more deep down in his gut. He stood up once again, grabbed the screen and secured it in place once more, making a mental note to himself to more permanently attach it later. Aimee huffed and kicked at the floor. Just then Gibbs heard a car door slam and he looked out the window to see Tim and Tony walking up the path.

Gibbs leaned out the window. "Hey, DiNozzo?"

Gibbs saw Tony and Tony glanced around looking for where his voice was coming from with a puzzled expressions on their faces.

"Treehouse."

Tony's face broke out into a grin when he caught sight of Gibbs' peering out the window at him. Tim walked up beside Tony. "Having fun, Boss?"

"Whatcha playing, Boss?" said Tony, his eyes twinkling at the thought of his boss playing in the treehouse.

Gibbs rolled his eyes and dropped the steps down to the ground. As the steps lowered, Aimee and Janessa made a move to go down, but Gibbs grabbed Aimee by the arm.

"Nope, you stay here. We need to have a little chat, don't we?"

Aimee's mouth dropped open as if to protest but instead, she took a few steps backward towards the wall. She sucked in her bottom lip slightly, narrowed her eyes and scowled. Gibbs ignored her haughty glare and walked down the steps after Janessa.

"Do you mind keeping an eye on Janessa for me? I need a few minutes with Captain Grumpy up there." Gibbs pointed up towards the tree fort.

Tony scooped Janessa up into his arms and pretended to chew on her stomach. Janessa rewarded him with a giggly squeal. "Sure, Boss, I haven't eaten all day, and I'm ready for some Janessa stew."

"Noooo," she giggled, trying to fend off Tony's tickling face on her stomach.

Tim walked up with a look of concern on his face. "Everything ok, Gibbs?"

Gibbs nodded. "Yep, just need to remind the Captain up there that even pirates need to play safe."

Janessa pushed back on Tony's face with her hand, trying to catch her breath. "She made me walk the plank!"

"Wow," said Tony. "She's a rough buccaneer."

Janessa wrinkled her nose. "A what?"

"A buccaneer. A swashbuckler. You know-"

"She's a pirate, Tony," said Janessa, poking his nose.

"Arrr, Matey!" said Tony, using his best pirate voice.

Gibbs chuckled and turned to walk back up the steps. "Just stay out of the house. Abby's cooking dinner, and she doesn't want any interruptions. That means you too, DiNozzo!"

"I'll keep an eye on Tony, Boss," said Tim with a smirk.

Tony smacked him in the back of the head in response.

"OW!"

"Keep your hands to yourself, DiNozzo!" scolded Gibbs with a twinkle in his eye. "Keep an eye on those two for me, Nessa." He winked at her.

Janessa giggled. "Sure thing, Mr. Giblet."

Gibbs rolled his eyes as he headed back up the stairs. The Giblet comment sounded verbatim what Abby would have said. A smirk played on his lips. Just what he needed: a mini Abby. God forbid.

Gibbs ducked into the entrance of the fort to see that Aimee had pulled out the safety screen once again and disappeared out the window.

"Dammit," he muttered to himself as he peered out the window to see her climbing higher up the tree. "Get back down here!"

Aimee glared down at him and kept climbing.

"Aimee!"

"Leave me alone!"

Gibbs pulled his head back and groaned. This was giving him a bad case of déjà vu, and he seriously didn't wish to repeat things with Aimee. He leaned against the wall and ran a hand through his silvery-grey hair trying to weigh his options. Demanding she come down would just be a battle of wills he'd likely lose. He needed to wait until she came down. She was stealthy so he didn't fear she would fall, and the tree only allowed her to climb so far before she exhausted its reach. While he didn't like her climbing so high out of the safety of the treehouse, he didn't imagine she would fall. Aimee couldn't stay up there forever, so he figured he would just wait her out and hope for the best.

Gibbs climbed down the steps and lifted his hand to his brow to block out the sun as he looked upward. Aimee had managed to climb about four to six feet higher than the top of the treehouse. She had pretty much exhausted the limbs of the tree and sat on a rather thick branch near the base of the trunk. She glared down at him. He grabbed a chair from the side of the house and dragged it over to the tree, sitting down so he could see her. He looked up at her and sighed.

"You can't stay up there forever, Aims. It's going to get dark soon."

"I don't care!" she screamed down at him.

"You and I need to have a little chat-"

"I don't want to talk to you!"

Gibbs leaned back and rested the base of his head on the back on the lawn chair. "Well, seeing as you're way up there and I'm way down here, I'm thinking I can talk all I want and you, my friend, are my captive audience."

Aimee stuck her tongue out at him. Gibbs ignored it.

"Mhmm, sure smells good down here. I think I smell chocolate cake." Gibbs stomach growled at the thought. "It's been a long time since I've had cake, what about you?"

He saw Aimee wrap her arms around her chest. Gibbs put his hands behind his head and stretched out his legs. Something told him that he shouldn't anticipate Aimee coming down anytime soon. Her stubbornness seemed to overrule her common sense.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Abby gingerly tightened one of her ponytails as she stared the recipe book in front of her. She dusted the flour off the book with a small smile. She'd forgotten how much she enjoyed cooking. It was nothing short of miraculous to create something delicious out of the few ingredients Gibbs kept stocked in his kitchen. She reached for the breadcrumbs above the sink and poured some into a bowl. The white bandages on her fingers were a constant reminder to go slow and take her time. They were healing well and didn't hurt much anymore which was a relief. Abby had learned to get things done despite the injuries. She was determined to not let it stop her from helping Gibbs as much as she could. It was the least she could do considering how much trouble she had caused him and keeping busy was good for her too. Too much time in her own head wasn't good for her or anyone else. It made her feel cranky and cross, and she ended up taking her grouchy mood out on everyone around her. She pulled some rubber gloves on over her bandages and reached for a piece of raw chicken. Just as she dipped it in the egg mixture, she heard someone clear their throat behind her. Startled, she twirled around to see Tony standing in the doorway with his normal big brotherish grin on his face.

"Whatcha making, Abbs?"

Abby smiled. "Chicken parmesan."

"Mhm, smells fantastic. I keep forgetting what an amazing cook you are."

Tony walked into the kitchen and leaned against the door frame.

"It's not even in the over yet," she laughed, continuing to coat the chicken pieces. "Where is everyone?" asked Abby.

"Tim's picking dandelions with Janessa and Gibbs is sitting on a chair trying to convince Aimee to climb down out of the tree-"

Abby frowned. "I don't even want to know," she said, shaking her head at the thought.

"Yah, I don't think I do either, but I have to say that Gibbs is a lot more patient than I pegged him to be. Gibbs can be, uh, not so nice sometimes."

"Tony!" admonished Abby. "Gibbs is always nice."

Tony crossed his arms and chuckled. "He is to you, Abbs, but he tends to be a little more hands-on with the rest of us."

Abby turned and rolled her eyes. "That's just Gibbs way, Tony. You know that! If Gibbs didn't smack you, you'd miss it; trust me."

Tony laughed. "Uh, yah, let me know if you feel the same way after he gives you your own personal constellation show."

Abby smirked as Tony reached out and grabbed a piece of cucumber off the counter. Without thinking, she reached out and swatted his hand, only to recoil back and grimace from the impact.

Tony grimaced in sympathy. "How are your hands, Abbs?"

"Getting better. Just have to remember not to do anything to jostle them."

Tony bit back a smirk. "Uh, yah, might want to stop smacking me then."

Abby rolled her eyes and continued working. The kitchen was silent for a few minutes with just the sounds of Abby preparing food. The silence felt deafening to Abby because she knew that Tony had something on his mind, and she figured he was just working up the courage to say something.

Tony sobered. "I've been worried about you, Abby. You haven't been yourself lately. I, uh, just wanted you to know that I'm here to listen if you ever need someone to talk with."

Abby felt tears burning in the back of her eyes. She knew eventually someone would say something to her, and Tony's voice sounded so filled with genuine concern that her heart longed to open up. Words were sitting on the tip of her tongue, just waiting to spill off but Abby was afraid. She felt like the whole thing was her fault and a small part of her figured she deserved to suffer.

"I'm fine, Tony."

Tony sighed and snatched another cucumber slice. "Sleeping ok?"

"Yes."

"At the risk of being beheaded, those bags under your eyes are telling me another story."

Abby blanched. "Please, Tony, just let it drop, alright? I'm doing my best to keep myself together here so just back off." She kept dipping and coating the chicken.

Tony walked up and put his hands on her shoulders gently massaging the tension from her neck. Abby froze. The nerve endings in her neck and shoulders tingled in appreciation but her mind flashed back to something far more sinister. A small whimper escaped from her lips. Tony felt her tense up at his touch and the big brother reflex made him pull her into his chest. He planted a soft kiss on the top of her head.

"You're going to be okay, Abbs. You will feel safe again. I promise you."

Abby's eyes widened as her heart rate quickened. Her head was fighting with her flight or fight instinct at being held. Instinctively, she knew Tony wouldn't hurt her but her memories of events with Mulligan were making it difficult to distinguish between good and bad touches. She choked back a sob and forced herself to lean back into Tony's strong arms.

"I'm so scared, Tony."

Tony could feel her trembling in his arms. He embraced her tightly, being mindful of her fears.

"Believe or not, so am I, Abbs. This case had really pulled the carpet out from under me. Half the time, I'm so pissed off and I don't even know why. I can't stand what it's doing to me."

Abby sniffled. "I just want everything to be back to normal. I miss my lab. I miss working. I miss us just doing normal stuff like you telling dumb jokes and Gibb's slapping you. I miss Timmy complained about how much you drive him nuts. I miss you and Ziva bickering. I miss Caf-pows and Gibb's kisses on my cheek." Her voice trailed off as she choked back a sob.

"Abby-"

"When's it going to be over, Tony? When will I feel like myself again?"

"I dunno, Abbs."

Abby was silent as thoughts spun around in her mind.

Abby leaned into Tony's strength, sniffling. "What's going to happen to Aimee?"

"If she doesn't come out of that tree, I think Gibbs might throttle her, himself."

Abby scowled. "Tony, you know what I mean."

Tony released her and turned her to face him, looking deeply into her green eyes.

"I don't know, Abby. I don't have any answers, but I can say this much with complete confidence: Gibbs isn't going to let anything happen to her as long as he can help it." Tony hesitated, seeing the deep despair that had settled in Abby's eyes. "And he's not going to let anything happen to you either." He hugged tighter. "Neither will I."

Abby's hands trembled as tears cascaded down her cheeks. She felt a tremor run down her back and her knees felt weak. She didn't feel like she deserved Tony's kind words.

"It's my fault, Tony. I messed up so badly," sobbed Abby. "Gibbs must hate me-"

Tony shook her gently "Stop it, Abby! It wasn't your fault and no one hates you. For Pete's sake, we all love you. It's breaking our hearts watching you struggle with all this crap on your own. You need to open up and tell us what you're feeling. You can't keep it bottled up or it's going to eat you alive."

Abby blinked back more tears as she felt her body shiver. "I'm so s-sorry."

Tony pulled her closer and embraced her once again, wrapping a protective hand over the back of her head. "It's going to be okay, Abby. I promise."

Abby closed her eyes. As much as Tony was trying to assure her that everything was going to be alright. She was a having a hard time believing it. She didn't feel like anything was ever going to be ok again and maybe she didn't deserve it to be anyway.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Gibbs stifled a yawn as he scrubbed a hand across his stubbly five o'clock shadowed face. His eyes felt heavy as he peered up at Aimee still perched in the tree. He turned his eyes away and looked at his watch. It was getting closer to dinner time, not to mention closer to the end of his patience. He couldn't believe how much tenacity Aimee was displaying. It was uncanny. In all his born days, he didn't think he'd met any child with more obstinacy built into her. He stood to his feet thinking he was going to have to offer her an ultimatum. As much as he didn't want to go that route, he decided he would issue a decree. It wasn't something he wanted to do and part of him felt like he was bluffing anyway, but he didn't feel like he had any other option, short of climbing the tree after her and he didn't imagine that would go over well either.

"Aimee, you need to come down now."

"Leave me alone!" she shouted back.

Gibbs frowned. "I seem to recall another time you tried to run away from me in a tree. I told you then what would happen if you did it again. Do you remember that?"

No answer.

"I promised you a swat for every number I counted past 10. Remember?"

Still no answer.

"I'm guessing it's going to take you more than a couple of minutes to climb back into the treehouse, so I'm going to give you 10 minutes. Does that sound fair to you?"

Silence and a glare.

"You're going to have to come down eventually, and I can promise you I will still be here waiting. You come down now; we'll have a little chat and then eat dinner. You make wait me longer than 10 minutes then I will swat you first, then we'll talk and go eat dinner. The choice is yours."

Gibbs crossed his arms, feeling the tension in his neck and shoulders. He couldn't remember where he'd signed up to negotiate with a nine-year-old. Glancing up, he sighed once again realising that his words had had no impact on Aimee. She wasn't moving, and it didn't look like she planned to move at all. Gibbs silently cursed to himself and rolled up the sleeves on his shirt. If she wasn't going to come down, he'd have to go up. At least then he'd be a little closer and feel less like he was putting on a show for the whole neighborhood. He could just hear the busybody next door broadcasting to all her friends what a horrible man he was for threatening to smack a poor innocent child. The horror of it all.

Gibbs started his ascent up the large, old elm tree, searching his mind for how he would talk Aimee down. He had no idea what was going through her mind since the kidnapping or even since her parents were killed for that matter. If he added Andrew to the mix, he knew she must have been an emotional wreck, and he didn't want to add to her pain and suffering. He just didn't know how to help ease her burden. He didn't even know how to help Abby either. He huffed as he climbed. He didn't even know how to process his own emotions about things that ate at him. He usually hid in his basement, sucked back a half dozen glasses of bourbon and lost himself in woodworking. He couldn't imagine anyone less capable of handling Aimee and Abby's troubles than him, yet here he was saddled with the responsibility of his own volition.

Gibbs craned his neck to see how close he was getting to Aimee. He noticed that she was trying to climb higher but it was futile. She had exhausted the branches. Gibbs had hand chosen the tree way back when Kelly was a toddler. He knew it was a safe, sturdy tree, and he made sure to keep it properly maintained even all these years later. He made a point to upkeep the treehouse too. He never let it get run down. Most of the kids in the neighbourhood could be found playing in it at one time or another and he never minded it. Never gave his verbal permission either but none of the parents or kids seemed to care about that.

"There are no more branches in that tree, and if you're not careful, you might fall trying," he admonished.

"GO away!"

Gibbs kept climbing, feeling his heart beating hard in his chest. Tree climbing was a workout like no other, hard on his knees too. The branches scratched at his arms and face making him grimace. After a few minutes when he was within arm's reach of Aimee, he stopped to sit on a branch to catch his breath.

"I'm getting way too old to climb trees," he huffed, rubbing his aching knee.

His knees were always good at reminding him of his age.

"No one asked you too!"

Gibbs leaned back against the trunk, a few branches down from her.

"Well, seeing as you wouldn't come down to talk to me, I figured I'd come up and talk to you."

Aimee shuffled herself around so her back was to him. Gibbs sighed and closed his eyes. He had no idea how he would ever get her out of the tree.

"I'm guessing you're angry with me. Can I ask why?"

"I'm not."

"Well, the way your acting says you are."

"You're mad at me," she accused.

"I never once said I was mad at you."

"You didn't have too. Your face did."

Gibbs bit back a smirk. He seemed to remember Abby telling him the same thing once or twice. Apparently, he had a mad face and didn't even know it. Gibbs used his fingers to pull his lips up into a goofy smile.

"Is _this_ any better?"

He saw Aimee peek at him from the corner of her eye.

"You look stupid."

"Well, maybe that's an improvement."

Aimee turned around and leaned against the tree trunk again.

"So, you're not mad at me for making Nessa climb out the window?"

"I'm not mad, but I am concerned. You usually are very protective of your sister. It surprised me that you would put her in danger like that."

"I wouldn't have let her fall, Gibbs!" Insistence in her voice.

"Aimee, you couldn't have stopped her from falling any more than I can prevent you from falling if you suddenly took it into your head to climb away from me."

Aimee scowled at him. "Shut up!"

Gibbs sighed. "Aimee, you need to climb back to the treehouse. We can't have a proper conversation like this."

"No, I'm not moving!"

Gibbs stood to his feet and moved closer to her. Common sense was quickly leaving him too. He felt tired, frustrated, and he was quickly losing what was left of his patience. He pulled himself up higher until he was standing solidly on the thick branch across from Aimee. He stepped across and before she realised what was happened, he put a strong arm around her waist pulling her in close and sat down. Gibbs held her tightly to his chest as she struggled to get free. He dropped his legs down to get a good grip on the large branch underneath him. The last thing he wanted was for her to fall when she was struggling to get away from him.

"That's enough!" he demanded much louder than he meant to and he applied a sharp slap to her upper thigh. "Stop fighting me, or we might both fall!"

Aimee froze in his arms.

"I've had enough." He continued giving her a firm shake.

Gibbs sat holding her close to his chest, her arms restrained in front of her. He could feel her pulse beating rapidly in her wrists. They sat like that for a long time listening to the wind rustling through the trees and the birds chirp before he felt her small body shuddering underneath his chin.

"My daddy's dead," she sobbed. "Andrew lied to me!"

Gibb's felt the tension flood out of him, as he pulled Aimee in closer.

"I'm so sorry, kiddo. I can't pretend to know what happened with Mr. Andrew, but I know you trusted him. I'm here to listen if you ever want to tell me what happened."

"I hate him! I never want to see him ever again!" she shrieked.

Gibbs blinked hard at her words, wishing he had the courage to tell her that the man was dead. It just never felt like the right time and part of him knew that Aimee felt an attachment to the man despite what he had done to her.

"You don't have to, sweetie," he assured her, wishing he had magic words to make everything better. "And, Aims, you're not alone, ok? You and Janessa have me, and I'm not going anywhere. We will figure this out."

He felt the little girl tremble in his arms. They sat quietly for a few more minutes and he rubbed his arms up and down hers in comfort.

"I-I'm cold, Gibbs."

"Let's climb down now, okay?"

Aimee nodded.

Aimee and Gibbs made their way back down the tree and safely back into the treehouse. Gibbs sighed with relief as he fitted the screen back over the window and turned to face Aimee with his hands on his hips. She looked up at him sheepishly while rubbing her thigh. Gibbs felt a deep sense of remorse as he watched her fidgeting under his glare.

"Did I hurt ya?"

She shrugged and chewed her lip, not really confirming or denying it. Gibbs stooped to her level and massaged a hand over her jean covered thigh.

"You gonna swat me?"

He smiled kindly as he cupped her chin in his hand. "No, I'm not going to swat you." He planted a kiss on her forehead. The last thing he wanted to do was add more pain to her life.

Tears escaped down her cheeks. "I'm sorry, Gibbs."

"I know, sweetie. I am too."

He pulled her into an embrace and she melted into it. Gibbs vowed right then that he wasn't going to rest until her solved things once and for all, even if he had to kill Stratton himself and Sawyer too, for that matter. They couldn't keep living like this. Something has to give and soon.


	29. Chapter 29

_**A/N Your lucky day; I had time to edit two chapters tonight. My sister is visiting and gave me a wonderful afternoon to myself. :)**_

 _ **Hmm...might be a bit of cliffy... :/**_

 _ **Enjoy!**_

Stratton slammed the phone down on the desk, his anger well past the point of explosive. The other two men in the room squirmed in their seats, unable to keep the look of fear from their faces. Stratton was not a man to be trifled with. He had enough clout to bury any one of them and never suffer a second for it.

"This ends here." Stratton rose to his feet and crossed the room threateningly. "I want that kid, and I want her NOW!" He slammed his fist on the table in front of the two men.

"S-Stratton," stumbled the dark haired man. "It's not that simple anymore. She's-"

Stratton dropped his hand menacingly, fingering the sidearm hidden under his suit jacket. He had lost all patience for excuses. Aimee Percy should have died the night he'd killed Jonathan Percy, his wife, and kid. He would have done it himself had he known what he did now. He knew differently now. Aimee Percy was the key. She alone held the information that he so desperately wanted.

The other man rose to his feet, looking a lot less intimidated by Stratton.

"You're a friggin idiot, Stratton, if you think Jethro Gibbs is going to sit by and let you take that kid from him."

Stratton hit the man with a glacial glare. "Who the hell is he, and what connection does he have to that kid, anyway?"

"He's not someone to be trifled with, that's who he is. The guy is a military trained sniper who, word on the street says, took out the guy who killed his wife and kid with one shot. You don't want to mess with him."

Stratton took in the information quietly, dark thoughts flooding his mind. Nothing much frightened him. His connections with some of the biggest, most dangerous men in the world had long since cured him of fear. Fear was an emotion he had no time for in his line of work. Too much was at stake and frankly, it was a waste of energy. Stratton had long ago sold his soul to the devil.

A menacing look came over his face as he turned to face his man. He reached out and poked a painful finger in the guy's chest.

"You have 24 hours to get me what I need to know. I don't care what happens to the kid…just get me that Intel!"

Stratton reached into his pocket and pulled out his sidearm. He pointed the weapon at the other man still sitting across the room.

"Any questions?"

The man jumped to his feet, raising his hands in the air as all colour drained from his face.

"Not a one."

"Good. Now, get the hell out of my sight."

The dark haired man raced from the room, slamming the door behind him hard enough to shake the picture frames on the wall. Stratton turned to the man still standing in his midst looking unmoved by his threat. He trained the weapon on him. The short, brown haired man glared in return.

"I'm not afraid of you, Stratton. Never have been and never will be. You have too much to lose in all this. I'm not your lackey and I don't do your bidding."

Stratton dry fired the gun in the air with a wry smirk.

"Get the hell out of here, Sawyer, and bring me that damned kid!"

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Sawyer pulled his jacket on as he left the building. A sinking, sick feeling settled in his gut as he huddled up his shoulders and walked quickly to his car to avoid getting soaked by the rain. He flung open the car door and launched himself in, slamming the door behind him. Once inside, he stared out the windshield, water dripping down his face. His steel blue eyes hardened as memories flashed in his head. He'd made so many mistakes. He'd promised himself that he wouldn't ever allow another little girl to suffer like his daughter. Sawyer pounded his fist on the steering wheel as rage filled him once more. It was time to put an end to it. He reached into the backpack behind him and pulled out a small hand scanner. Switching it on, he scanned the front dash of his car.

"Your scan does not compute," said the saccharinely sweet voice reminding him of a GPS unit he once owned.

He licked his lips and raked a shaky hand through his hair. He didn't know if the scanner would work. He'd been avoiding using it for fear it would set off the watchdogs. Aimee would die immediately and he wasn't sure if he could live with himself if that happened. None of what was happening to her was her fault. She was just an innocent, albeit plucky, little kid and he liked her. She reminded him a lot of his own daughter. His gruff actions towards her didn't mean he didn't care. Quite the contrary. He did care, maybe a little too much.

He fingered the scanner thoughtfully. Tossing it on the seat, he started the ignition and drove off.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Gibbs pulled the curtains closed and went to switch out the lights. It was well past midnight and he figured he'd turn in and try and get some sleep. He made his way towards the stairs and was surprised to see a rather sleepy looking Abby sitting on the bottom step.

"Abbs, I thought you turned in hours ago."

She chewed on her lip. "I did."

Gibbs sat beside her, pulling her in for a hug. "Nightmare?"

She shook her head.

"Then what?"

"Just couldn't sleep."

Gibbs nodded and leaned his head on one arm. "What's bothering you?"

"Nothing-"

"Do you know what happens to kids who lie?"

"I'm not a kid, Gibbs."

"Do you know what happens to Abby when she lies to Gibbs?"

Abby grimaced. "Giiiiiibbbbbs," she whined.

Gibbs chuckled. "C'mon, Abbs, talk to me."

She sighed and rose to her feet. "I'm going to head back to bed."

Gibbs stood and took her hand gently, pulling her own towards the sofa. He sat down and pulled her down beside him. Wrapping an arm around her shoulders, he pulled her in close. She melted into the embrace but remained quiet.

"Tony told me that you're still blaming yourself," he began softly.

Abby bolted up indignantly. "That big mouth Schmuck. Wait 'til I-"

Gibbs placed a gentle finger over her lips. "Stop that," he admonished. "He's worried about you, Abbs. Nothing selfish or horrible about that. We all are."

Abby crossed her arms. "I'm fine, Gibbs."

Gibbs' brow shot up into his hairline. "Could have damned well fooled me." He frowned at her making her recoil back into the sofa.

"You're grouchy with the girls and with me. You have dark circles under your eyes, and I haven't seen that Abby 100-watt-smile since Mulligan attacked you. You need to tell me what's going on in that head of yours."

Abby's eyes widened and tears fell down her cheeks.

"Abby, what do I have to do to get through to you? I can't force you to talk. No one can. You have to decide to do that on your own. However, the rest of us don't deserve to be held prisoner by your moods either. Understand where I'm going with this?"

Abby swallowed and nodded. "I'm sorry, Gibbs. I don't mean to be so grouchy with everyone."

Gibb's softened and he reached out to brush some stray dark hairs out of her eyes. He leaned in closer and planted a soft kiss on her forehead. He couldn't help but love her. She filled a void in his life like no one ever could. She was just about the same age as Kelly would have been, had she still been alive. Abby's quick smile and sweet, loving personality drew him in and intoxicated him. He had been a goner since the first day she waltzed into NCIS in all her Goth glory.

"Love ya, Abbs."

She smiled through her tears. "Why, Gibbs?"

"Why what?"

"Why do you love me?"

The question took him aback. He wasn't sure how to best answer the question. It wasn't something he could even put into words. He inhaled a deep breath and looked deeply into her emerald green eyes.

"I've loved you since the first time I set eyes on you. I loved you then, and I love you now. I will love you until I take my last breath. It doesn't matter what you do, where you go or what you say." He pointed at his heart. "You own a piece of my heart and that will never change."

Abby put her face into her hands and sobbed. Gibbs rubbed circles onto her back gently. He leaned in closer and whispered, "I love you forever, Abbs. You're stuck with me, kid." He brushed his fingers through her unruly black hair hoping the words penetrated into her head.

Suddenly a commotion from behind him stole his attention. Jumping to his feet, Gibb's hand went immediately to the weapon that wasn't on him. His eyes shot open wide when he saw Sawyer standing in front of him wielding a weapon, pointed directly at him. Abby gasped and jumped to her feet as well. Gibbs pulled her in close and shoved her behind him.

"Don't move, Gibbs. Abby, go get Aimee. NOW!"

Gibbs felt Abby hesitate behind him, torn on what she should do. Gibbs reached out and held her still.

"What do you want, Sawyer?"

"Gibbs, don't be a hero, alright? We both know this story isn't going to have a happy ending!" he shouted, waving the gun menacingly.

Gibbs backed up towards the fireplace with Abby directly behind him. He'd placed his gun in a locked box in his bedroom earlier before he'd retired to the basement. His mind was whirling trying to figure out how he could get it or something to defend them. Having the girls in the house had made him overly zealous about gun safety. He still remembered a buddy of his whose son had accidently killed himself with his father's weapon. That thought had terrified Gibbs and made him cautious.

"You're going to have to go through me to get to her, Sawyer. There is no way in hell I'm going to let you have her. Who are you working for? Stratton? Huh?"

Gibbs saw Sawyer's face pale. Gibbs blinked a few times, feeling his stomach drop to his feet. So that was it? Sawyer was in Stratton's back pocket?"

"You son of a-"

Just then Aimee appeared at the foot of the stairs in her dark blue pajamas with Janessa wide eyed behind her, all dressed in pink.

"Gibbs!" Aimee shrieked as she ran to his side with Janessa in tow.

Gibb's heart dropped to his feet.

Sawyer moved closer to him, keeping the gun closely trained on him. Gibbs pulled both little girls behind him, searching his mind for a plan. In that moment, he felt Aimee pull away from him and step out. He tried to reach for her but she stepped away and faced Sawyer. Gibbs went to jump for her but Sawyer cocked his gun and Gibbs froze, putting his hands in the air defensively.

"Listen closely to me, kid. If you want to keep Gibbs, Abby and your sister alive and in one bullet-free piece, you're gonna put some shoes on your feet and come with me."

Aimee's eyes were wide in fright but she nodded and walked towards the front closet door. Opening the door, she placed her small feet in her boots and looked back towards Gibbs. Gibbs held up his hands, keeping Abby and Janessa safely behind him. He could hear Janessa crying and Abby trying to comfort her.

"Sawyer, you don't want to do this," threatened Gibbs, his mind whirling.

Sawyer grabbed Aimee roughly by the arm. "I have to do this, Gibbs. Someone has to be man enough to do it because this little kid isn't the centre of the universe. How is her life any more important than the millions of kids out there stolen into trafficking every day? Huh? My daughter, goddamn it, died at the hands of these freaks. They don't care who they kill. All they see is a commodity to buy and sell and make a profit. I stopped caring a long time ago about how I'd screw Stratton. I just want him to suffer."

Gibbs felt his blood run cold in him. It dawned on him that Sawyer and he might not be all that different after all. When his wife and daughter were killed, Gibbs couldn't see anything but revenge. He'd like to think he wouldn't have taken another life in order to obtain his agenda, but he certainly couldn't be sure. He had been blinded by such grief and rage. He had been capable of anything.

"You don't have to do this, Sawyer."

"If it means anything, Gibbs, if she lives, I will make sure she stays safe. Then, when it's safe, I'll make sure she gets a good home someplace."

Sawyer pulled Aimee closer and pinned her under his arm, backing up towards the door. Gibbs took a deep breath and without thinking lounged at him, in one last desperate attempt at stopping him. It was to no avail. Sawyer lifted his gun and fired, escaping out the front door with Aimee in tow.


	30. Chapter 30

_**A/N Hi Readers *waves***_

 _ **Sorry, I know it's been a long time since I updated. I haven't given up the story, I promise.**_

 _ **I wanted to give you a little chapter to keep you interested...sorry, it's not a very helpful chapter...more questions than answers I'm afraid. Hope it intrigues you and keeps you reading along.**_

 _ **xo**_

 _ **Jenny :)**_

"Drink up, kid!"

Sawyer set the water bottle on the table in front of the small girl with a dull thud.

Aimee glared at him.

"You should be careful about making faces like that. Might freeze that way."

Aimee's scowl deepened as she reached her hand up and smacked the bottle off the table. Sawyer watched the bottle spin across the floor. He rested one leg on a nearby chair and stared at Aimee trying to figure her out. Aimee's eyes never left his. Sawyer was impressed. The kid had a lot of grit. He reached down and grabbed the unopen bottle from the floor, twisted the cap and set it in front of Aimee once again.

"Drink."

Aimee narrowed her eyes and reached out to knock it off again, but Sawyer quickly snatched it back.

"You know, being a smart ass isn't going to get you very far with me. As far as I see it, you're sitting pretty comfortably right now but that's about to become a distant memory."

He slammed the water down harder this time, spilling the contents on the table. He half expected to see Aimee jump but she didn't. She just fixed her glare even harder on him and crossed her arms this time, defiance written all across her face. Despite being plucked from the safety of her environment, the tenacious kid showed little fear.

Sawyer chuckled, "Something tells me you'd make one hell of a special agent, kid. You're as hard-nosed as Gibbs. What are you? Like 8 years old?" Sawyer shook his head and took a long draw from his water bottle, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

Aimee licked her lips but remained silent.

Sawyer set his water on the table and began pacing the room. It was just a rat hotel outside the city limits. When he'd stopped to rent the room, he was pretty sure he saw a glitter of perversion in the eyes of the scum bag at the desk. The creep kept staring at Aimee with a kind of sick hunger in his eyes. It was enough to turn Sawyer's stomach.

Sawyer sighed painfully, feeling beyond torn. "What am I going to do with you, kid?"

Aimee sucked in her lower lip and Sawyer saw fear flicker in her eyes for a second before it disappeared behind a shroud of anger once again. She was a tough kid. Sawyer could hardly blame her for being so miserable. The girl would likely end up a hardened criminal because of the lousy crap shoot she'd been dealt in her life. Those things tended to mess up a kid. Sawyer turned his back on her trying to clear his mind enough to think more concretely.

"D-did you kill him?" stammered Aimee, her voice sounded loud in the silence of the room.

Sawyer spun around to face Aimee, surprised by her question. His face reflected the sorrow he felt. Agent Gibbs, the other kid and the forensic scientist had all just been innocent bystanders. The trouble with Gibbs was he couldn't keep his nose out of things. He was like a faithful hound dog. You couldn't help liking him. Sawyer chewed his lip to keep from smirking at his own analogy. Gibbs was NCIS's faithful hound. It hadn't been his first choice to snatch the kid from Gibbs, but It had been the only way. Time for messing around had come and gone.

"Gibbs is too ornery to die."

Aimee's eyes filled with tears. Sawyer grimaced. It was the first sign of emotion he'd seen on the kid's face. Aimee dropped her shoulders and reached for the open water bottle.

"Throw it and…" Sawyer's words trailed off when Aimee put the bottle to her lips. He raked a hand through his hair as he stared at her drinking. What the hell was he doing, anyway? None of this would ever bring his daughter back. It was too late for Brooke. How would any of this help?

Aimee set the water down.

"I know you have to kill me."

Sawyer felt his heart rate pick up at her expressionless words. She was too damned smart for her own good.

"You-"

"No matter what, I'm gonna die. Go ahead; you can say it. It's not something I don't already know. Jonathan told me-"

"What did he tell you?"

Aimee's face paled. "Lots of people died for the information on my tattoo."

Sawyer shook his head. "That's not true, Aimee."

"Jonathan said it was my fault."

Sawyer felt his stomach churn threatening to unload his muffin and French vanilla onto the floor. He'd been told that Percy was a dirty piece of scum. None of what was happening or had happened could be blamed on an innocent kid. She'd just been dealt a crappy hand. Instead of playing Barbies, she'd become some kind of scapegoat. Sawyer pinched the bridge of his nose, debating on whether he'd bother correcting her view of things. He never signed up to be her therapist. He was already too involved and that was dangerous.

"It's not your fault, Aimee."

Aimee's eyes were swimming in tears which she was fighting hard to hold back. Sawyer looked away, not being able to handle the sudden thick lump that had formed in his throat. _Damn it; she's not Brooke,_ he reminded himself. He forced himself to look around at the stark barrenness of their surroundings. He was so damned torn. His heart was screaming at him to do one thing and his common sense was berating to do another. And, when everything was all said and done, he would need to be able to live with himself too. Sawyer let out a haggard breath, one he hadn't realized he was holding. He walked across the room towards his carryall bag. He'd made up his mind and there was no reason to keep stalling. He reached into the bag, grabbing a small bottle and a rag. It wouldn't take much to knock the kid out. It would be kinder this way.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

"Mr. Gibbs, are you dead?"

Gibbs heard the soft, frightened voice off in the distance. He moved his head slowly, a soft moan escaping his lips, and he felt himself wince as he opened his eyes. He must have hit his head on the fireplace from the force of the gunshot. He didn't know what hurt worse, his head or his shoulder. He rolled his head to the left to see Abby's fearful face staring down at him. She'd somehow managed to rest his head and upper body on her lap, and he could feel the pressure she was putting on his shoulder; the pain was just hovering below the unbearable.

"It's not bad, Gibbs," she whispered in assurance.

Gratefully, Gibbs managed a half smile and struggled to sit up. Abby did her best to help him into an upright position, and he rested his head on his knees, trying to gain his equilibrium. His head felt like it was spinning.

"Help is on its way, Gibbs. Tony and Ziva put a BOLO out on Sawyer."

Janessa squatted in front of him and stared into his blue eyes.

"I thought you got dead, Mr. Gibbs."

Gibbs' eyes slowly focussed as he coped with the throbbing pain in his shoulder. Janessa had blood splattered across her face which made his heart skip a beat. She'd been very close to him when the shot was fired. He stretched out his legs and gingerly drew the small child into his lap.

"Are you hurt, honey?"

"She's fine, Gibbs," answered Abby, her own lips quivering.

Gibbs immediately took in Abby's appearance as well. Her face was paler than normal if that could even be possible. Abby's skin was usually milky white, but its hue had more of a yellowish colour underneath the surface. Gibbs reached out his hand and cupped her face.

"Are you?"

Tears cascaded down her cheeks. "No." Her voice sounded angry this time.

Gibbs pulled her into an embrace, planting a kiss on top her head. "You're safe, kid."

Abby pulled away indignantly. "What about Aimee? What's Sawyer doing, for Pete's sake? Whose side is he on, anyway?"

"Dunno, Abbs."

Gibbs grimaced as pain shot down his arm causing his fingers to tingle. Feeling like he'd like he'd gained enough strength to stand, Gibbs shakily rose to his feet and was pleasantly surprised to see Tony rush into the room followed by ambulance attendants. Tony took in his appearance and reached out to help him remain steady on his feet. Despite Tony's gentle touch, pain ricocheted up his arm into his shoulder and straight to his brain. Rushing waves of nausea washed over him causing Gibbs to grimace and blanch, feeling his lunch trundle in his stomach. The overwhelming queasiness rumbled and boiled past bearable and the room began to swim around him.

"Easy, Boss," said Tony, bearing Gibbs full weight now. "I think you better sit down."

Gibbs felt himself nodding slightly and then things seemed to take on a tunnel view before everything faded to black.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Aimee grimaced at the brightness of the light and rolled her head towards the darker part of the room. Her head was pulsating with bursts of raw pain. She tried to open her eyes, but couldn't. It felt like someone had glued her eyelids closed. She wiggled her fingers slowly trying to lift her arms but couldn't seem to find the strength. Her whole body felt heavy like the sandbags her—Jonathan—used to put in the sandbox. She'd once tried to lift a bag thinking it wasn't nearly as cumbersome as he made it look. She'd been mistaken. They had been worse than she expected.

Aimee tried to roll onto her back—to move at all—but she couldn't seem to find the strength to move any part of her body. Warm tears escaped her eyes and filled her lower ear. She felt tired: tired of being brave and tired of trying to be strong and bold. Suddenly her senses ran smack into an indescribable agony radiating from her back. The intense pain caused her eyes to fly open despite her bone-tired weariness, and she screamed out loud in torment. Her back felt like it had been ripped open and someone had poured acid on it. Aimee had the comparison in her head from a science experiment she'd once done with her mother. She watched as the acid ate away at the shell of an egg. It hadn't actually been acid, though. It had been vinegar, but her mom said that the vinegar was like acid to the egg shell. She grimaced and hollered again. She felt positive she was being eaten just like the eggshell.

Through the mind-numbing pain, she didn't notice the man watching her from behind. He wiped his bloody hands onto his denim jeans before silently slipping out the door and locking it behind him.


	31. Chapter 31

Tony wandered through the sterile hallways and wrinkled his nose. The pungent smell and forlorn sounds made him shudder as goosebumps formed on his arms. Too many memories. He felt assaulted by hospital demons. He didn't think he could ever forget his own stint in hospice care. It haunted his dreams—both day and night. His close brush with death always seemed to be at the forefront of his mind. Tony reached the front foyer and was relieved to see the small coffee shop still open. More than anything he could use a Latte and something with enough sugar to put him in a sugar coma. Anything to make the demons go away.

He smiled at the pretty teenage server and gave his order. The young girl blushed and Tony turned around subtly to stifle a quiet chuckle behind his hand. The teenager was cute, and he was flattered by her reaction to his presence. Sometimes people thought he was conceited but deep down he wasn't really. He'd always felt like an ugly duckling as a kid and part of him always felt like people were judging him. Sometimes, now as an adult, he didn't even recognise himself in the mirror. A few minutes later, the girl returned still blushing and handed him his coffee and sweet treat. Tony smiled and thanked her, amused that the teen had the guts to flirt with him. He found it endearing, and he walked away chuckling, imagining the conversation with her other teeny-bopper friends over text that evening. Tony remained lost in his thoughts, still grinning, as he made his way back towards Gibbs room.

His stomach churned unexpectedly as he approached Gibbs room. He didn't like seeing his boss injured. The elder man had taken a bad shot to his shoulder. Tony hadn't thought it was too serious, at first, but the amount of blood was terrifying; Gibbs wasn't exactly a spring chicken anymore. His boss, who was more like a father to him, losing consciousness in his arms had been more than a little disconcerting. It had really rattled Tony, more than he thought possible. Perhaps as much as or more so than when Tony had pulled him out of the water and performed CPR after the man nearly drowned rescuing his daughter's friend. At least that time Tony could see Gibbs was awake and moving. He'd had hope and words to soothe his uncertainty before he passed out from exhaustion. But this time, seeing his boss' ashen face unmoving in his arms, well, it had taken more than a few years off his life. The doctors later said Gibbs was lucky to have survived this time. The bullet had struck the subclavian artery which explained the large amount of blood lost. Things were still touch and go and would be for possibly the next 24 hours.

"Tony?"

Tony spun around to see Ziva standing behind him. Her face was a white as his, and his heart skipped a beat at how frightened she looked. He set his coffee on the ledge alongside his Danish and pulled her into a tight, reassuring embrace.

"He's one hell of an ornery old goat, Ziva," offered Tony, softly into her wavy, dark hair.

"I know," she sniffled in return. "He just looks so pale."

"He's lost a lot of blood. Once they finish with the transfusions, he'll be up and about shouting orders like the same ole grouch."

Ziva pulled away and rewarded him with a small smile. "Even a head slap would not bother me right now."

Tony chuckled. "He won't be slapping anyone with that arm for a while." Tony forced himself to smile mischievously, despite not feeling the least bit in the mood for humour. "Think of all the pranks I can pull on McGeek with no repercussions." Tony rubbed his hands together mimicking an evil villain.

Ziva laughed out loud this time as Tony wiped a stray tear from her cheek. Even a small sense of normalcy was good. They needed to cling to that for the time being.

Tony felt his cell phone vibrate in his pocket. "Heard from Tim yet?"

She shook her head.

"My cell is ringing. Maybe it's him now."

Ziva nodded and disappeared into the room. Tony heard Abby's high pitched voice greet her.

Tony pulled out his cell, checking the number and frowned when he saw the unknown name and number. He wasn't in the mood for some annoying call from a telemarketer. NCIS had been working hard to get their numbers unlisted and protected, but they seemed to be completely unsuccessful more times than not. Tony narrowed his eyes, determined to give the caller a piece of his mind. Expecting the normal Microsoft scam, Tony answered his cell, determined to scare the bejeebers out of the caller.

"DiNozzo!" he all but shouted into the phone.

A grey-haired woman sitting in a wheelchair across the hall opened her eyes and scowled at him irritably. Tony fidgeted sheepishly offering her a genteel look of apology and hurried around the corner away from her.

"Tony," said a hoarse voice.

Tony's eyes widened when he heard the quiet voice on the other end of his phone. He felt the colour drain from his face as his heart picked up acceleration. His mind whirled in a hundred different directions as he searched his brain for something coherent to say. It struck him as odd that his head and his gut were in a war to get the first word in. His gut won out in the end.

"You son of a bitch-"

"Save it for someone who cares, DiNozzo," replied the voice, much louder this time with an eerie edge to it.

"Damnit, where is Aimee? You could have killed Gibbs! What the hell is your game, Sawyer," snarled Tony, just barely able to keep his hand steady enough to hold the phone to his ear.

"Gibbs should have backed off when I told him. He's always sticking his nose-"

"Shut up, you bastard! Where the hell is Aimee?"

Tony's hands were shaking visibly now. Everything he thought he knew about his friend seemed to have shattered into infinitesimal pieces. Kyle Sawyer was his drinking buddy. The fun-loving guy who drove him home when he'd had too much to drink. The guy he confided in about crappy dates, the guy who knew just how much he loved Ziva, the guy he'd trusted to be his friend. He felt like an idiot.

"Listen to me, Tony-"

"If you've hurt her, I'll kill you with my bare hands!"

The guy had told him all about his eight-year-old daughter. Brook. The little girl had supposedly been kidnaped and killed, part of a possible trafficking incident. Had Kyle lied to him to garner his sympathy and sucker him? Tony had never bothered to check out his story. He just trusted the guy. That trust was shattered when he'd found out the guy was really FBI undercover as NCIS. Gibbs never did get a straight story from anyone. Director Shepard had insisted everything was on the up and up but also extremely confidential. Need to know basis. Apparently, Gibbs didn't need to know either which was a bunch of crap in Tony's opinion. Or maybe Gibbs knew more than he'd shared with any of them. It always struck Tony as weird that Gibbs seemed to be so content with not knowing. Classified cases always pissed off Gibbs, and the elder man would cause a hefty stink until Jenny gave in and told him what he wanted to know. For some reason, Gibbs had backed off somewhat on this one. Why was that?

"Tony, for Pete's sake, shut the hell up! Aimee's life depends on you finding her!"

Tony blinked. "What do you mean?"

"I don't have a lot of time to explain. That freakin' tattoo was equivalent to a bloody time bomb. Aimee was ticking down to detonation. It was only a matter of time."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Tony heard Sawyer groan. "Sawyer? What do you mean by was?"

"Look, I don't have much time here, DiNozzo, so just listen, alright?"

Tony suddenly became astute to the background noises in his ear. Seagulls and water sounds. A beach? Sawyer's breathing sounded laboured. Each time the man spoke, his voice would crack somewhat and sounded hitched. Was the man injured?

"I don't have time to explain. I left Aimee in a motel outside the city." Sawyer's voice cracked again and his breathing became laboured, almost a pant. "Ambleside Motel. The guy at the front is some kind of disgusting predator. Wouldn't even be surprised if he was a pedophile, by the way, he looked at Aimee-"

"You left her with a damned pedophile-"

"What? No, you idiot! I never said that! He doesn't even know I left. Geez, DiNozzo, just get your ass down there as soon as you can. I had to take it off-"

Tony paled. "Take what off?"

Sawyer groaned again. "The tattoo. I'm no doctor, but I did a lot of pretty disgusting things when I served in Afghanistan. You do what you can to help men survive, even if it means amputating limbs with no anesthetic. Pain won't kill you, but sometimes if it's bad enough, you get mercy and you pass out like Aimee did."

Tony blanched as he felt his pulse beating rapidly in his neck. "What the hell did you do, Kyle?"

Sawyer gasped. "If you get her some help, I might just have saved her life!"

Tony carded a hand through his dark hair shakily. "What should I expect?"

"A lot of blood. Help her, Tony. Please get there as soon as possible. Please don't let me have done…" Sawyer hesitated.

Tony blinked. A sob? Did he just hear the man choke back a sob?

"Kyle? Man, what did you do to her?"

"Just get your ass there, DiNozzo! Ambleside Motel. It's on highway 367, off that old Laramie Rd. Remember?"

Tony nodded. He remembered. "I remember."

Sawyer and he had done their own amount of joy riding down that old abandoned highway. Just because they were special agents didn't mean they didn't still have a wild, teenage boy living deep inside each of them.

"Good. And Tony?"

"Yah?"

"Don't come looking for me. Stratton will kill me when he discovers what I've done. It's better this way. All that information needs to be buried. All that money? It's blood money."

With those final words, Tony realised the phone had gone dead. Sawyer had hung up.

Tony brought his hand down and stared at his phone. Inhaling a deep breath, he chewed the inside of his lip. What the hell happened? He was torn. Just who was Sawyer? Tony couldn't even speculate. He dialed 911.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Tony accelerated further, feeling his pulse beat rapidly in his throat. His head pounded unceasingly, a migraine building momentum at the back of his head and wrapping around his head like a vise. Despite the oppressive pain, he forced himself to keep driving. He'd already called ahead for help, and he hoped to God the emergency services arrived there before he did. He always kept a first aid kit in his car. Every agent did. He was trained in first aid, but, geez, what did Sawyer do to that kid? He said he'd amputated limbs before. Aimee's tattoo wasn't on any of her appendages. It was located in the middle of her lower back, just above her waist line. There would have been no way to remove a tattoo in a motel room, for crying out loud. What did he do? Skin her? Tony felt a shudder run through his whole body at the thought. He raked a shaky hand through his dark hair, and then pounded his fist on the steering wheel.

"Damn you, Sawyer!"

Tony narrowed his eyes as he drove in the darkness and felt his heart speed up further as he approached the outskirts of the city. He recognised the area, and soon he saw the neon sign of the Motel. Much to his chagrin, there were no emergency services to greet him. He sped into the barren parking lot and shut the engine off. The colour drained from his face once again when he realised he didn't know what room Sawyer had left Aimee in. He'd never thought to ask.

"Damn it."

Tony pulled his collar up around his neck as he shivered in the cool night air. He scanned the area deducing which rooms were occupied. There were two long buildings facing each other with a handful of dilapidated cars parked outside the ramshackle doors. Lights streamed through the threadbare curtains of each occupied room. Tony walked down the beaten down pathway with its broken paving stone, keeping his eyes and ears open for any sights or sounds that might alert him to Aimee's whereabouts. Several groans were heard but definitely were not the sounds of a child. Tony kept walking, his mind whirling in many different directions, thinking about Sawyer and their friendship, Gibbs and his injury and more specifically how much Gibbs seemed to change since Aimee and Janessa entered their lives. Tony already knew how much Gibbs adored kids, especially little girls. The man became like a different person when he was around them. In some ways, it was easy to see what kind of father the man had been just by how he cared about his team. Tony knew that much of the gruffness Gibbs displayed publically was show because he'd seen how Gibbs was outside of work, when the two of them were chatting in Gibbs' basement over bourbon or when the two of them watched the game over fireside steaks and beer. Gibbs was paternal, whether the man admitted it or not. It was just built into his DNA. Gibbs cared for his team like a father does for his children. Aimee and Janessa had just amplified that nature in the man, brought it right to the surface so that even Gibbs couldn't ignore it.

A door flung open directly beside Tony causing him to startle. An inebriated man staggered out and grabbed onto him to keep from falling. Tony tumbled to keep on his feet under the heavy weight of the obese man.

"The whole earth moved, mate," mumbled the man with a stupid grin on his face.

A scantily dressed woman stood in the doorway gaping at the man. She looked weary, and Tony shivered at how young the woman looked yet, at the same time, her eyes appeared ancient—way beyond her years. D.C. had a way of doing that to people, especially in this neck of the woods. The woman held up a set of keys and waved them at the man.

"You get these back when I get paid." With those words, she slammed the door leaving Tony still holding the man up so he wouldn't topple to the ground. The man sobered somewhat and Tony helped him to sit down in a nearby chair. The man groaned and held his head slightly.

"Sober up a bit, buddy."

The man held up his hand. "Yah, yah, I will. She was totally worth it, though. Haven't had that much fun since my honeymoon." He scratched his scruffy face as his words slurred together. Tony chewed his bottom lip pensively, shaking his head. Sometimes the depth of depravity in life made his stomach churn. Sometimes. He was about to continue walking when the man reached out and stopped him.

"Don't judge me." The man's voice wasn't harsh, just matter of fact, and surprisingly sober. "Age isn't a pretty thing. I used to be quite dapper in my younger days too." The man sat up more and straightened his clothing. Tony noticed for the first time that the guy was dressed in a rather expensive Armani suit. The drunken idiot probably had money. "Don't think your good looks will get you everywhere, kid. They won't. You might have the girl and the fast cars now, but mark my words: you too could end up just like me."

Tony smiled sympathetically. He wasn't a stranger to men like the man in front of him. He'd seen plenty of men like him when he was kid growing up around the upper crust.

"Do you want me to call you a cab, mister?"

The grey-haired guy waved a dismissive hand and shook his head. "Nah, she'll let me back in later once I sober up."

Tony nodded. It wasn't any of his business.

The man waved his hand in front of his face, looking crossed eyed at it. "At least I'm not like that pervert who likes kids." The man's voice was more a mumble than coherent speech.

Tony's blood ran cold, not entirely sure he'd heard the old guy correctly. "Did you see a guy with a kid here tonight?" It was a long shot asking when the man was three sheets to the wind, but it was worth a shot anyway.

The man's face blanched. Tony wasn't sure if the guy was sickened by the thought or just sick. Before Tony could further ponder it, the plastered old guy leaned forward and vomited all over the porch area in front of them. Tony unconsciously took several steps back to avoid the splatter. He wrinkled his nose at the horrendous odor that assaulted him but waited for the elder man to recover. A long shot was better than nothing. The old guy wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. His breathing was laboured, and he remained leaning over. Tony grimaced but carefully took a step forward to see if the guy was alright.

"Heard some kid screaming her ever living face off when we arrived," gasped the man hoarsely. "Called the management to report it but that guy is some kind of sick pervert himself; he thought it was funny. Couldn't stop laughing. Sick bastard. Gawd, we live in a sick world!" The man attempted to sit up only to be overtaken by retching once more. Tony stepped back again, his heart beating a tango in his chest.

"Any idea which room?"

The old man sat up suddenly with a repulsed look on his face. "You some kind of pervert too?"

Tony cringed. His whole body felt ready to lurch forward and punch the drunken man's face through the wall. Instead, he forced himself to reach inside his coat jacket and flash his badge.

"NCIS. I'm looking for a missing girl."

The man's lips formed the letter O, but no sound came out. He rested his elbows on his knees and his rubbed his forehead like he had a painful headache. Tony's ears perked up when he heard sirens in the distance. It was like music to his ears. Help. If he could just find Aimee, she would have help.

"Which room?" Tony said again, much louder.

The man startled and rolled his head around his neck several times, rubbing the back of his head with his hands. Then he dropped his shoulders and pointed at the door kiddy corner to his own. Tony spun on his heel to see an empty driveway but soft light, like a night light, peering out underneath the curtain to the room. Without bothering to ask the man if he was sure, Tony rushed across the path and approached the door. He put his ear to the door but heard no sounds. His heart was beating furiously in his chest. He had no idea what he'd be walking in on. It could be the wrong room and he could end up getting his face kicked in by some crazy wildebeest. The motel was a place known for perversion of every kind; no decent person stayed there. Tony wasn't a prude in any sense of the word, but he also didn't relish walking in on something even he didn't know existed in the world.

Emergency services came screeching into the driveway: police cars, ambulance, and firetruck. Tony waved at them as he kicked in the door in front of him. From the corner of his eye, he saw the elderly, drunken man pound on the door of the room he'd been kicked out of. The woman opened the door and pulled him inside. Probably a prudent plan. Tony's attention turned back to the darkened room, lit only by a soft light coming from a side table. He scanned the room and his eyes fell upon a lump covered in a sheet; a small, motionless lump with bright crimson-red blood seeping out onto the yellowed old sheet. Tony felt all the wind knocked out of him. He hesitated, frozen in place, afraid to move. He'd seen a lot of immoral things in his time, but when anything involved children, a part of his heart was chipped away.

Forcing himself to take a deep breath, he steeled himself to walk forward and grasp the sheet. He braced himself for the worst and pulled the covering back. His blanched and gasped when he caught sight of Aimee. Her small form was motionless and she was quite literally swimming in her blood. She was lying sprawled out on her stomach with her small, pale face mashed into the mattress. Tony instinctively bent to her face and felt for a pulse. It was there, but it was thready. He gently carded a hand through her sweaty hair.

"Aims?" He said her name softly and close to her ear. She didn't move. "Aims, honey, it's Tony. I'm going to get you some help, baby doll, and you're going to be just fine, okay." The continued rubbing her head and by pure instinct, he reached out and applied firm pressure on the wound he saw on her lower back. As soon has he hand made contact, Aimee's eyes flew open and a feral scream echoed off her lips. Tony's heart nearly stopped.

"Sorry, Aims. Just need to keep pressure on the wound.

All chaos seemed to break loose in the room as emergency personnel infiltrated the room. Tony was quickly shoved aside as the paramedics took over. He stood stockstill staring at the blood on his hands. What the hell had Sawyer done to the little girl?


	32. Chapter 32

_**A/N Hello Readers!**_

 _ **Sorry, it's been so long since I have updated the story. Between teaching and my busy family, I haven't had much time to write. Hopefully, you haven't all given up on me yet. Enjoy! :)**_

There were three people in the room with him. Stratton, of course, was there. He was the man with the most to lose. He was the man with the most invested, and the one who was most likely to make sure he ended up floating face down in the harbour. The other guy in the room didn't look familiar to him at all. Stratton called him Fagan. It wasn't hard to tell that Fagan was used to getting what he wanted when he wanted. How he was related to everything escaped Sawyer. Of course, after several hours of torturous interrogation, or whatever they wanted to call it, Sawyer wasn't able to make any intelligent thoughts connect anymore. It struck Sawyer as almost humorous to think Stratton thought he'd get anything useful from him considering how thorough his henchman was. Just how much torment could the human body withstand and still be lucid? The third guy in the room was actually the one Sawyer hated the most. It wasn't anything personal. Hell, who was he kidding? It was every bit personal! The thug was of no importance at all and up until several hours ago, Sawyer had never seen him before yet the guy had made it his personal business to make life beyond unpleasant for him. Plainly put, Sawyer's only coherent thought was how he'd like to slit the bastard's throat if only to make the agony cease. If Sawyer had been thinking more rationally, he might have mustered up the strength to forgive the brute. However, that was far too difficult when he was being beaten to a pulp, sliced to ribbons and bled dry.

Sawyer's vision had long since become blurry at best, and he'd given up trying to keep his eyes open for any length of time. He heard Stratton's voice bellowing angrily, demanding Sawyer's attention and answers to questions that might as well have been in Greek. Sawyer couldn't have formed words even if he wanted. It was no longer useful to even try focussing. He couldn't. Blow after blow seemed to rain down upon him. His face, his gut, his shoulders, perhaps other areas as well, but Sawyer was quickly becoming numb and oblivious to every part of his anatomy. There seemed to be no rhyme or reason to the assault. The cutthroat just kept up his meticulous disperses of blows without hesitation or mercy. Sawyer was actually becoming amazed at his own ability to remain conscious. Despite the mind-numbing pain, he found himself lost in his thoughts. Every now and then a particularly hard blow would bring him back into his immediate surrounding, but then his conscious awareness would slip away once again like sand through his fingertips. He'd stopped speaking comprehensibly over an hour ago, yet his captors seemed content to continue their interrogation, perhaps out of the pure enjoyment of torturing him for their own amusement. Sawyer hadn't given them any worthwhile information.

His thoughts surrounded what he'd done to Brook: his own sweet, beautiful little girl. Even if by some miracle he survived, he'd already planned to put a bullet into his own head. He couldn't live with himself any longer. All he'd wanted to do was make life perfect for his little girl. After his wife died having Brook, he never thought he'd be able to love anyone again, but Brook had changed that. She'd captivated him. Brook made life worth living, and he'd been willing to do anything for her. He made some stupid decisions. He got caught up with some unsavory characters hoping to make a quick buck. Working as an FBI agent meant long hours and little time to spend with his daughter. All he'd intended was to make things easier so he'd have more time. Time with Brook. He'd have given his eye teeth for more time but, instead, all he'd done was murder his daughter. Quickly getting in over his head and not being able to escape the consequences of his choices, his daughter became a prime target and then she was gone. He hadn't been able to do one damn thing to stop it. She'd just become a victim of his circumstances. An innocent pawn forever snatched from his fingertips.

His arms stretched painfully over his head, chained to an overhead ventilation system. His head hung between his shoulders. He was no longer capable of holding it upright. Blows, voices, roaring and searing volumes of sound consumed his awareness. He lost his footing this time and just hung by his wrists. The once excruciating pain dulled his senses as he dangled between a heart-wrenching awareness and blissful blackness. Suddenly, he felt like he could feel the tissue in his jean pocket burning against his skin. Aimee. He remembered what he did. Sawyer wondered if rapid-fire random thought processes were part of dying. He couldn't keep his mind focussed on any one thing for long. Aimee's screaming permeated his mind. He'd tried to explain to her why he'd to hurt her so badly. It sickened him to do it. He'd vomited several times before and after. It had been disgusting. Yet, it was the only way to give her freedom. Her pathetic stepfather had made her a scapegoat. Sawyer felt that same bitter disgust for himself. He'd been no different. He'd pawned his daughter too.

If Aimee didn't die from infection and blood loss, she'd be free to grow up. Forever free from MS-13 and its insidious reprobates. Sawyer had what they wanted in his pocket…the tattoo in its entirety, completely intact, savagely removed from the back of a nine-year-old child. The irony was positively gut-wrenching. All the people involved, bank numbers, SIN numbers, records and names of victims all attached to a tattoo. All that information recorded and meticulously kept from a group that never kept any records. In the right hands, it could be just what was needed to silence the group…forever end their vicious reign...stripping them of their treacherous power. In the wrong hands, someone could become very powerful with the ability to control and manipulate events. The world would quickly become a place of unprecedented evil, far beyond what it already had become. It was unfathomable.

"Enough, Mulligan! I don't want him dead yet," came a gruff voice.

The words sounded completely clear and loud in his ear, jolting Sawyer back to his current situation. He groaned in agony. He felt himself being lowered to the ground, but he was unable to move…to open his eyes…to speak.

"Dying is too good for him. It's too easy. Patch him up, get him some food." Sawyer felt his head being lifted up gently. His eyes fluttered enough to make out a large shapeless figure looming over him. "That's right, Sawyer. Open those pretty little eyes of yours. I'm not going to kill you. No, I'm going to make sure you recover. Then I'm going to have the pleasure of doing this all over again. Ad nauseam."

His head was dropped to the floor with a sickening thud. Sawyer might have winced or cried out in pain but somewhere somehow, some great and higher being had mercy on him, perhaps out of sheer benevolence, and he fell into blissful darkness.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Gibbs' shoulder throbbed. His head throbbed. Hell, his whole body throbbed, but that meant he was alive and, for some reason, he felt an almighty appreciation for that. There had been a few minutes back at his house that he felt uncertain when everything began to fade to black. Now that he was awake and conscious, despite his relief, he still hadn't dared to allow anyone in his room to know it yet. He was too busy silently listening in on their conversations. It was probably pretty crappy of him to do that, but when he had first gained consciousness, the topic of conversation intrigued him and he didn't want to deter his team from talking. So far he'd discovered that Abby was keeping secrets _again_ and refused to discuss anything regarding it in case he was really awake and listening in. Gibbs had to bite back a smirk at how smart his Goth girl was, but he also had to resist the urge to jump out of bed and scare the holy hell out of her. He hated secrets and she knew it! Tony was gruffly scolding her but, at the same time, his voice held a brotherly concerned edge to it. Gibbs was proud of Tony for stepping in and stepping up. Gibbs had heard the quivering edge to Tim's voice, ever so slightly hovering in the room but still there. Perhaps the only other one to hear might have been Abby if she wasn't out of her mind with worry over Gibbs and if she wasn't working so hard to keep something from him and the rest of the team. Ziva's voice waffled between complete assurance and little girl uncertainty. It was heartbreaking to hear, and Gibbs hadn't realised how much Ziva had come to love and care about him. It touched his heart. His little Mossad officer was always standoffish and held people at a distance and yet, he'd always seen through it.

"Abby, have you been in touch with Fagan? Is that it?" said Tony, his voice sounding almost murderous.

"What? No! How could you think that, Tony?" Her voice dripping with hurt. "You know I wouldn't keep something like that from you."

Footsteps fell across the floor and someone bumped against his bed alerting Gibbs to the movement in the room.

"You have to come clean, Abbs…" Tim's voice sounded quiet and strained this time. Tim knew.

"Be quiet, Timmy." Abby's voice was almost a whimper. Tim knew her secret. Of course, he knew. Abby couldn't keep secrets even when she tried. She always told someone. The question was how long he'd known and how long he'd tried to convince her to come clean. Tim loved Abby and, for this reason, he couldn't ever be completely at fault for his actions. Abby had a way of manipulating Tim like no other person could.

"Aimee could have died, Abby. You and Janessa could have died! None of this is a joke. If you know something, you need to fester up." Ziva's strong voice with yet another messed up idiom. Gibbs waited to see who would correct her first.

"Fess up, Ziva," Tony corrected.

"Whatever."

Sobbing now infused the room. Gibbs rolled his head sideways towards the pathetic sound. He never could handle it when Abby cried. It made his heart ache.

Aimee. Ziva said Aimee could have died. Did they find her? Gibbs forced himself to remain still and not draw attention despite the many questions he had rushing through his mind. He didn't want to ruin the momentum of the conversation just yet.

"Don't cry, Abbs," said Tony.

Gibbs heard move movements and imagined that Tony had drawn the sobbing Goth girl into his arms for comfort. Tony was good about that. He wasn't afraid to show affection. Tim was more hesitant in that respect, probably because Abby and he had a history, and it made the younger man feel awkward. And probably this time because his conscience was pricking at him that he was equally responsible for keeping Abby's secrets. Abby's cries became muffled and the room was pitched into silence.

"He's never going to forgive me," Abby whimpered into Tony's shoulder.

"Abby, none of what's happened is your fault. Gibbs is going to be happy when he wakes up. Aimee is alive, and she's free to live her life now without fear of being obliterated by that tattoo."

Abby sniffled. "It was me that lead Fagan and his gang to Aimee in the first place…"

"That's not true, Abby." Tim's voice was resolute. "You couldn't have known the ties Fagan had with MS-13 or Stratton or any of that. Fagan used you for your connection to NCIS and for your computer link to your lab."

Silence saturated the room.

Abby gasped at Tim's words and, in that moment, the elephant in the room was released. Abby had doctored her computer and linked it to her classified computers at NCIS giving her and anyone who hacked her full access to classified information. Unbeknownst to her, she had allowed wanton criminals unfettered access to military secrets for who knew how long. That kind of carelessness could be the death of her career at NCIS. Abby's heart-wrenching sobs broke through his charade, and Gibbs could no longer keep quiet.

"It's not your fault, Abbs." Gibbs' voice came out hitched and gruff, but surprisingly louder than even he expected.

Gibbs opened his eyes to see four sets of eyes staring at him and four mouths gaping open in complete bewilderment. It was as if time stood still while his team gawked at him. He might have laughed if he wasn't afraid it would hurt because, at the moment, he realised how much everything hurt, even his eyes ached as he held them open and blinked repeatedly against the brightness of the light.

"Gibbs! Gibbs!" Abby's voice was shrill and sliced through his aching head like a hot knife through butter. Her sobs continued but she buried her head in his chest, all but throwing her body on top of his. A muted groan escaped his lips as his Goth girl embraced him with such force he felt like his body would be snapped in two. He reached up a weary hand and returned the embrace, albeit with much less strength than he would have liked to. He raked his fingers through one of her jet black ponytails, grateful that he could.

"Abbs, breathing is a necessity," he uttered with a strained gasp.

Tony stepped forward and unlatched Abby's death grip. "Give the man some air, Abbs."

Gibbs inhaled a liberated breath once Abby stood upright, held closely by Tony. Tears cascaded down her cheeks and her eyes were a mixture of relief and guilt.

He reached out and tapped her trembling hand. "It's not your fault, Abby. You couldn't have known about any of this. None of us could have." Abby blinked back more tears but nodded. Her silence spoke volumes to Gibbs. She didn't believe him. She was placing the full brunt of the blame on her shoulders. "Abbs, stop blaming yourself." His voice contained a hint of admonishment. Had he been stronger, he might have shaken her a bit as well.

"How are you feeling, Boss?" asked Tony, pulling Abby in closer almost as if Gibbs had willed him to do it.

"Been better, DiNozzo."

From the corner of his eye, Gibbs saw Ziva stoically blinking back tears of relief. She stood on the outskirts of the room as she usually did, not wanting to interfere with Abby's neediness. Gibbs' mouth formed a small smile of assurance. Ziva's curt nod told him she'd seen his smile. As much as she was the youngest, she was also the one who suppressed her emotions the most. He'd learn to read her tells.

"How are you holding up, Zivers?"

"I am fine, Gibbs." Her voice was soft, but he could hear the emotion in it.

Gibbs closed his eyes for a moment. He was tired. He was in pain. His body was revolting on him. His mind was traveling in a hundred different directions. He blinked back the piercing light as he forced himself to focus on Tony's face.

"Aimee?"

Tony's face visibly paled causing Gibb's stomach to plummet. His gut had warned him it was bad. He hadn't wanted to know how bad, but now he had to know.

"DiNozzo, so help me, if you're standing here and Aimee hasn't been found, I'm going to smack-"

"She's alive, Boss." Tony's words were hurried as he did his best to head off Gibb's building up rampage.

Gibb's felt his body relax. "Bring her to me."

Tim stepped forward with a downcast expression on his face. "She's in ICU…"

Gibb's felt his heart rate pick up. ICU? Why would she be in ICU? How hurt was she? What happened? Questions flooded his mind so quickly, he felt like he was drowning.

This time Ziva came forward and set a gentle hand on his arm. Gibbs looked from her to Abby and from Abby to Tim and from Tim to Tony, his gaze resting on Tony's eyes, moist with tears. Gibbs felt a cold stab of fear clench his gut. His breath caught in his throat.

"DiNozzo…" His uncertainty lingered in the air.

Tony inhaled a deep breath. "She'll be okay, Boss. Sawyer removed the tattoo. She nearly bled to death, and she was in septic shock when we got her to the hospital…" His voice trailed off as he attempted to fight his own demons.

"Removed the tattoo? What the hell?" Gibb's face was contorted, and he felt his heart rate soar causing his head to pound. The monitors in the room began to sound off an alarm and within seconds, a nurse rushed into the room.

"You all need to leave now!" she said, her voice sounding angry. "Mr. Gibbs needs his rest. He shouldn't be getting so upset."

Gibb's face reddened. "Tell me about Aimee Percy! Tell me everything!" His voice bellowed and eventually, he put himself into a coughing fit.

The nurse shooed his team out the door with plenty of scolding. Had he been in more of a pleasant mood, he might have admired the woman's tenacity. Instead, he soured. The woman was probably no older than Ziva but she held her head up high. Her honey brown hair was tied up in a ponytail that hung partially down her back. She settled into her work while quietly admonishing him to not get himself all worked up.

"Mr. Gibbs, you had a close brush with death yourself. You might think getting shot in the shoulder is no big deal, but it is when it affects arteries. Now calm down or I will sedate you."

Gibbs shot the woman a glare. If it had been one of his team members, they would have grimaced at the glare and backed off. The nurse did not even flinch.

"You cannot intimidate me, so you might as well save your energy." Her eyes held a small glint of warmth in them. Gibbs softened his glare and rolled his head towards the wall feeling worried and somewhat defeated. He hated feeling so helpless. He tried to calm himself down as the nurse took his vitals and continued fussing over him.

"How are you related to that little girl?"

Gibbs rolled his head back and looked into her green eyes. "I'm her guardian." He didn't have the strength to explain any further.

The woman adjusted his intravenous tubes and settled a gentle hand on his.

"She's a fighter, Mr. Gibbs." She patted him kindly. "Get some rest, and if you behave yourself, I'll see if I can arrange a visit, okay?" She winked at him.

Gibb's felt a smile touch his lips. "You're a cheeky little thing, aren't you?"

The nurse smiled. "Yep! I have to be otherwise grouchy men like you try to intimidate me."

Gibbs laughed out loud. He couldn't help but like her. The nurse smiled again and walked towards the door.

"Get some rest, Mr. Gibbs."


	33. Chapter 33

_**A/N Still alive and puttering at the story. Life keeps me busy. Thanks for continuing to read along. Enjoy!**_

Aimee swung her legs off the high hospital bed and eased herself to the floor with determination. The last time the nurse had come in to check on her, she'd threatened to put her in a cage if she found her out of her bed again. Aimee wasn't so sure the woman was joking either. The red-haired woman was positively evil in Aimee's opinion. Aimee figured the woman should have had some kind of compassion for her rather than bossing her around all the time, besides, she was so bored. And she was hungry. The food was terrible. Aimee scurried to the door and carefully opened it, eager to not draw any attention to herself. Her hope was to escape and explore the place. It would be a lot more exciting than staying in bed waiting for someone to come visit her. She scanned the area and was pleasantly surprised to see that the nurse's desk outside her room was unoccupied at the moment. She threw open the door, almost drunk with freedom, and slipped out into the hallway. A mischievous smile graced her face as she high-tailed it down the corridor towards the large bright window in the far distance. Maybe the windows in that area would open. The sunny day was beckoning to her. More than anything she wanted to be outside. Aimee wasn't against climbing out a window if she had to.

"Just where do you think you're going?"

Aimee froze in her tracks. She recognized that voice. She didn't even need to turn around to know who it was. She sucked in her bottom lip and slowly turned on her heel to see Tony's unamused face glaring back at her.

She shrugged. "Nowhere."

Tony reached out and firmly took her by the hand. "Yeah, you're right about that one. C'mon, you little escape artist, back to bed with you." Tony started leading her back to her room.

Aimee felt her stubbornness rear up inside of her. She was beyond tired of being confined to her dull hospital room. It was boring. She tugged her hand away and crossed her arms.

"No!"

Tony sighed. "What would Gibbs do if you said no to him?"

Aimee shrugged. "I don't care."

"He'd pick you up and bodily put you back in your bed, wouldn't he?"

"No, he wouldn't. He's not allowed to cuz it'd hurt my back." She answered back with a daring smirk.

Tony put his hands on his hips and glared at her. "Don't fool yourself into thinking that would stop him, Squirt. A little pain is a good motivator." He tapped the top of her head with his finger.

Aimee stuck her tongue out at him in belligerence. "Tony, I'm bored," she whined and emphasised her displeasure further by stamping her bare foot in the hallway.

Tony shook his head but a genuine smile crossed his face. He stooped to her level and poked her in the stomach. "Tell you what. You go back to bed and I'll play any game you want."

Aimee's eyes glinted with mischief at his offer. "Any game?" Visions of a long game of monopoly filled her head, knowing how much Tony enjoyed the game. A giggle escaped her lips.

Tony crossed his heart with his finger. "Cross my heart. Deal?" He rose to his full height once again, reaching out his hand for Aimee to shake.

"Okay, deal." Aimee reached out her hand and began pulling him towards her room with a giggle. Tony chuckled as he followed her. As they approached her room, the nurse behind the desk gasped in frustration. Tony smiled at her with sympathy on his face. The woman strode around the desk and stopped directly in front of Aimee, her hands on her hips.

"Aimee Percy! What did I tell you about leaving your room? Do I need to tell Mr. Gibbs about this?"

Aimee shot the nurse a haughty glare. The lady was bossy and mean, and Aimee didn't care for her even a little. Every time the nurse came in her room, she would threaten her with something awful. Aimee pulled her hand away from Tony and crossed her arms defiantly.

"Go ahead, tell him. See if I care. You're mean and I don't even like you!"

"Aimee!" scolded Tony, clasping a hand over her mouth. "You apologise right now!" Aimee shook her head under Tony's firm hand still on her mouth. She didn't care if Tony was cross with her. It was the truth, and she wasn't going to take it back. The nurse returned Aimee's glare.

Tony cleared his throat, keeping a firm clasp over her mouth as he spoke again. "How is she doing, Nurse Evans?"

The woman's demeanor softened somewhat as she turned her attention to Tony. "Very well, actually. The doctor said she can move into the children's ward tomorrow and probably be released to go home this week."

"That's good news, isn't Aimee?"

Aimee scowled and shoved Tony's hand away from her mouth but didn't say anything.

"What about Agent Gibbs?" asked Tony, ignoring her glare.

The woman walked back behind her desk and glanced at her charts. "He's recovered very well too. Doctors have signed his release papers for tomorrow afternoon. He'll need to take it easy for a couple weeks, but he'll be just fine."

Aimee's eyes clouded over. "I wanna go home tomorrow too!"

Nurse Evans softened her gaze and smiled at Aimee. "I know, sweetheart. It's been a rough ride for you, hasn't it?" The nurse came out from behind her desk and brushed a kind hand across her cheek. Aimee didn't pull away. Tony wrapped a gentle hand around her shoulder and pulled her in for a hug. "Your body just needs a little more rest," continued Nurse Evans. "If you stay in bed a little longer, it will give your body more time to recover. You were a very sick little girl, Aimee. You need to be patient, dear."

Aimee heaved a loud, weary sigh, this time tears of discouragement filled her eyes. Tony pulled her in closer and winked at her encouragingly.

Tony looked at the nurse. "Is it safe for me to pick her up?"

Nurse Evans nodded. "Her back is well bandaged, and it's healing wonderfully. Just be careful not to disturb the bandages and it should be fine."

Tony looked down at Aimee. "What do you say, Aimee? Can I pick you up?"

Tears escaped down her cheeks but Aimee nodded. She wanted to be held. Tony carefully scooped her up like a groom would carry his bride and carried her across the threshold of her room. Aimee wrapped her arms around his neck and nuzzled into his chest. He smelled like aftershave and it tickled her nose enough to make her sneeze. Tony chuckled and sat down in the chair in her room, continuing to cuddle her.

"You are a force to be reckoned with, little one," he murmured, softly. "So much trouble wrapped up in one small body."

Aimee sniffled. She didn't have words to explain how she felt. It just felt good to be held and to feel safe. She didn't remember much about what had happened to her. She vaguely remembered Sawyer snatching her away from Gibb's house. He had acted so strangely. She remembered him telling her that he was going to give her the freedom to grow up and then he'd hurt her. He'd held her face down so roughly and cut into her skin causing such excruciating agony that she had blacked out. When she woke up, she was in the hospital and everyone told her that the tattoo was gone.

"Is it really gone, Tony?"

He nodded. "Yep."

"Why did Sawyer do that?"

Tony adjusted her on his lap so he could see her face. "He knew how to do it, and no one else did."

"Is he good or bad?"

"I dunno, Aimee. I really don't. But he did something no one else could. He gave you freedom. I think that makes him at least a little bit good, don't you?"

Aimee nodded. "I guess so. It hurt an awful lot."

Tony tightened his embrace. "I bet it did, kiddo. You certainly scared me when I found you."

Aimee leaned her head against him and they both sat quietly for a moment.

A sudden noise from across the room pulled them both from their reverie, and they looked towards the door to see a familiar face poke his head in the room.

"Gibbs!" shouted Aimee, slipping off Tony's lap and running to jump into his arms.

Gibbs' face lit up into a large smile, and he did his best to catch her as she leaped at him. Gibbs shuffled her to his hip as he balanced her with his good arm. He kissed the top of her blonde head.

"Wow, that was some greeting, Aims, and here I was coming in to scold you for being so naughty for Nurse Evans." Gibbs gave her a penetrating look which she clearly understood.

Aimee kissed his cheek and then stuck her tongue out at him. "She's a meanie, Gibbs," she said matter-of-factly.

Gibbs released his hold and Aimee slipped to her feet, nearly ending up with her nightgown over her head from the awkwardness of balancing her with one hand.

Tony chuckled and rose to his feet. "Nice pink underwear."

Aimee felt her cheeks redden as she straightened her nightgown once more, but she purposely ignored Tony and faced Gibbs.

"Tony is going to play a game with me."

Gibbs tapped her nose gently. "Well, it might have to wait until his next visit." Aimee scowled. "Now, don't get all grouchy until you hear me out," he admonished. "Hop into bed and I'll be right back. I want to talk to you about something."

Aimee sighed and reluctantly went towards the bed. Her shoulders sagged as she dragged her feet when she walked. It didn't seem fair that Tony couldn't play with her. He'd made her a promise. Aimee decided she would press further.

"I'm bored, Gibbs! It's so boring lying in bed all day! Can't he stay and play?" Her voice was a loud whine.

"Trust me; I know exactly what you're saying. I'm bored too, believe me. But I need to talk to Tony outside privately and you need to get back into bed. Now shoo!" He reached out and playfully swatted her behind. "I'll be back a few minutes so we can talk."

Aimee stomped her foot defiantly but immediately regretted it when Gibbs swatted her backside again, this time not so playfully and hard enough to leave a sting behind.

"Is there a problem, Aims?" he asked, giving her a stern look. Gibbs had to bite his cheek to prevent a smile from betraying his attempt at a firm glance.

Aimee shook her head, sighed loudly and got into her bed.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Once outside the room, Gibbs felt his energy drain from him. He grimaced a little and leaned against the wall.

"You ok, Boss?"

"Gibbs."

"Pardon?" asked Tony.

"Drop the boss stuff, Tony, okay?"

Confusion washed over Tony's face as he nodded hesitantly.

"I'm taking a leave of absence, Tony. Jenny is putting you in charge of the team while I'm on Hiatus." Tony looked ready to say something but Gibbs raised a hand to silence him. "It's not forever but probably a couple of months." Gibbs felt an intense shot of pain radiate from his shoulder down his back. He grimaced and forced himself to straighten up to alleviate the pain. He glanced down the hallway to see a sitting area under some bright windows. "Let's go sit down there so little miss can't hear our conversation."

Without looking to see if Tony would follow him, Gibbs wandered down the hall towards the large windows and plunked his weary body down on one of the more comfortable chairs with a groan. Gibbs looked up to see Tony follow suit. He could see a million questions clouding Tony's eyes and knew he had to make himself clear to the younger man.

"Boss-"

"I know you probably have a lot of questions and, in time, you'll get some answers but not here and not today, okay?"

Tony narrowed his eyes as if deciding if he would argue but he remained silent.

Gibbs sighed and put his feet up on the little table in front of him, knocking several magazines to the floor. Lifting his feet seem to help take away some of the pain from his side. Why he felt pain in his side from a gunshot to the shoulder was beyond him at the moment and he had lost all patience with being in the hospital so he didn't plan to mention it to anyone anyway.

"Been doing a lot of thinking, DiNozzo, and you and I both know I need to get some normalcy in those kids lives. Janessa is pretty damned resilient, come what may, but Aimee is getting progressively more aggressive. The case has grown starkly cold, but part of me feels like Aimee may still be in danger. Only trouble is my gut isn't enough to keep those kids in protective custody any longer. They need to be placed in a loving home so they can get on with their lives."

"I guess I sort of thought…" Tony's voice trailed off.

Gibbs heaved a sigh and leaned his head against the wall. "Yah, I know. Everyone thinks I should take them. It's ridiculous! I'm an old man for Pete's sake. Those girls need a mother and a father. They need young parents who can be there for them. I can't be that person. I'm grouchy. I have next to no patience, and I live on coffee and bourbon!"

Tony smirked. "Don't forget fireside steak and potatoes."

Gibbs smiled. "That too. I don't even have enough food in my fridge to feed myself, let alone some kids. Hell, Abby's the one who comes over and brings groceries and scolds me for eating too much takeout. You all know that I live on bran flakes and Chinese take-out."

"Then why the hiatus?"

"Well, everyone knows I'm a bastard so finding a home for those girls isn't going to be an easy task for any social worker. I'm not letting them be separated nor will I allow just anyone to take them. NCIS's legal department already fought like madmen to get me temporary custody of the girls, and I'm keeping it until I approve of the people taking them. I imagine that's going to take a while. As much as Tim enjoys running to the stationary store for pink paperclips, I'm fairly certain he and everyone else will concentrate better if the girls were not underfoot all day."

"You sure you know what you're doing, Boss?"

Gibbs scrubbed a hand across his face. His stomach ached, his head hurt and he had no clue what he was doing. His whole life seemed to be thrown into shambles since Aimee and Janessa came into the picture. His paternal instincts had kicked in faster than he ever thought possible. He was shocked how quickly he had slipped back into the role of father. He figured Kelley's eight years on earth was so ingrained on him, that he just intuitively knew what to do. He even surprised himself sometimes when he reacted out of that instinct rather than thinking.

"Oh, hell, DiNozzo, I have no clue."

Tony sat forward and rubbed his hands on the knees of his dress pant. "I never knew you when you were a dad to Kelley, but through the years I have witnessed you around kids, and Boss, you're a natural. Suffice to say, those girls couldn't get a better father than you." Gibbs felt his back go up at Tony's words. They weren't helping him with his decision at all.

"DiNozzo-" He growled.

Tony held up a hand to forestall him. "I don't have any experience at parenting. I only have experience being a son and, uh, having a father. I've always been one to think parents should have a permit to have kids because as far as Senior was concerned, parenting was pretty much an epic fail for him. I think Ziva would agree that her father was a big failure in the ole dad department as well. But, Boss, despite your gruffness and the head slaps that make my teeth rattle, you've been more of a father to me than Senior ever was. If my opinion counts for anything, Nessa and Aimee would be lucky to have you as their old man even if you are an old goat."

Gibbs blinked. He couldn't have been more shocked than if Tony had slapped him in the face. He never expected such a profound, heartfelt speech to come from Tony; Abby, yes, but not his resident emotionally-stunted class clown. It wasn't very often that Gibbs was struck dumb but this was one of those times. Gibbs dropped his feet to the floor and sat staring at his second in command. If the truth had been known, and if Gibbs cared to reveal his heart, Tony and his whole team were his surrogate kids. Abby was so easy to tuck under his wing. Her foolhardy spontaneity begged for protection. The young woman followed her heart right into trouble more times than not. Gibbs had already revealed his paternal love for her more than once. Over time, the whole team had come to accept it as an unwritten fact. Gibbs swallowed as he continued to burn holes into Tony's eyes.

Tony began to squirm under the scrutiny. "Er, well, you're not that old, Boss-"

Gibbs reached out and swatted him lightly on the back of the head. It was exactly the levity they both needed to lighten up the moment. Tony grunted and hissed like Gibbs had given him a concussion and then the awkward emotionally charged moment passed.

"What about Abbs?" said Tony suddenly, doing his best to change the subject to help further clear air.

Gibbs adjusted the material of the sling around his neck. "She's been suspended without pay pending a disciplinary review."

Tony whistled.

"She hasn't been told yet."

Tony licked his lips and shook his head. "Oh, boy. I dont think I want to be around when she finds out."

"Yah, tell me about it, but what she did was serious, Tony. She needs to understand that."

"Abby's heart was in the right place, Boss. She only did it so she could work from home. She didn't know that her security had been breached."

Gibbs groaned. "That's the problem. She should have! Think of the security we have at NCIS?"

"Abby is a whiz at computers. She can make Major Mass Spec. do a jig, speak Russian and complete your taxes without lifting a finger. Simple security wouldn't have been a huge issue to her. Certainly not enough for her to think she couldn't work from home safely."

"I know, and I get why she did what she did, but that doesn't change the fact that she trusted Fagan with some classified information. The disciplinary committee isn't going to care about her character. They are only going to look at the facts."

Tony fidgeted and crossed his legs. "Do you think she'll be fired?"

Gibbs shook his head. "There is no way in hell I would ever allow that and neither would Jenny. We just need to play the game nicely. Abby needs to take some time off until the dust settles. Besides, the SECNAV adores Abby as much as the rest of us do. They'll smack her wrists, ground her for a few months and then she'll be able to return. In the meantime, she can stay with me, and I will deal with her myself."

Tony chuckled. "You sure about that, Boss? Abby has you wrapped around her little pinky finger."

Gibbs frowned.

Tony continued despite the look he was receiving from Gibbs. Sometimes the truth was hard to face.

"Bringing her Caf-Pows at your house doesn't count as discipline, Boss." Tony broke out into a full out laugh but slowly stopped when he saw that Gibbs wasn't joining him.

"I'm not actually kidding around. Abby needs to know that what she did was extremely dangerous. Her carelessness led Fagan to get classified information that led terrorists to Percy's doorstep. He might have been a piece of trash, but two innocent people died as a result and one of them was a very young child."

Tony sobered.

"I can't soften the blow of this. Abby needs to accept responsibility for it. My job is to help her forgive herself. Percy was a lowlife and Stratton and MS-13 would have caught up with him eventually with or without Abby's unintentional help. I would even wager a bet that Abby's slip up made things work out for the best. Nessa and Aimee are still alive. My bet is that Nessa would have been killed along with her mother and Sarah, and Aimee's tattoo would have been scanned and she'd be dead too."

Tony closed his eyes and rubbed his temples, seeming to have developed the same tension headache as Gibbs.

"You know, I have been wracking my brain trying to figure out what Abby had to do with everything since the day her hearse blew up in the Navy yard. It just didn't make sense to me until I found out about Fagan. It was all a ruse. He never intended to kill Abby. He only wanted to make it look like she was dead. Abby is worth far more to Fagan and Stratton alive than dead. Fagan managed to get his hands on a lot of classified navy plans and he has no idea what any of it means."

Tony uncrossed his legs and glanced at his watch. "Think they still want her?"

"Dunno, to be honest. I'm still trying to figure out what they want with Sawyer."

"They don't want anything from Sawyer, Boss. That guy is most likely feeding the fish at the bottom of some lake right about now."

Gibbs shook his head. "Sawyer sliced that tattoo off whole, DiNozzo. He knows more than he's saying."

"Maybe but if he's still alive, I'm going to kill him myself. That son of a bitch sliced her like a piece of meat, Gibbs." Tony's face reddened in anger at the memory.

Gibbs rose to his feet slowly deciding he needed to get some rest before being released to go home.

"He saved her life, Tony. I don't care how he did it. She's alive and that's all that matters."

With those words, Gibbs began walking down the hallway towards Aimee's room again. He needed to talk with the child, and he was exhausted thinking about it. It wasn't going to be an easy conversation.


	34. Chapter 34

_**A/N Thanks for all the wonderful reviews.**_

 _ **I smiled a little not realising that I had created a little debate over whether or not Gibbs will keep the girls. Makes my story all the more interesting to develop haha**_

 _ **The overall case has been taken out of NCIS's hands now and handed fully over to the FBI. The story will tend to be more Abby-centric as well as focus on the girls. I do have a few unfinished leads to tidy up...namely Sawyer and Fagen and of course, Stratton. So things might appear to wrapping up for the team but not quite. Don't worry, we will still see plenty of Tony, Tim and Ziva.**_

 _ **Right now Gibbs has his hands full with three girls. What will he do?**_

 _ **Thanks for continuing to read along and encourage me with your reviews and comments.**_

The colour drained from Abby's face as she set her cell phone down on the kitchen counter at Gibbs' house. She'd brought groceries to stock his cupboards in hopes the man would at least try to eat healthy during his recovery at home. She reached a shaky hand out and grasped the counter to steady herself; she felt her stomach contents churning, almost regurgitating her bagel and cream cheese. It wasn't because the news came as a surprise, though. Deep down she knew there'd be some hefty consequences, but it was still upsetting none the less. Somehow, hearing the word suspension caused several long-buried emotions to bubble up inside of her. That did surprise her. It seemed ridiculous now to be reminded of something so minor from her childhood but, for some reason, it was the first thing she thought of in the moment. Abby had been suspended once before when she was fifteen for doing dangerous experiments in the school science lab. It had crushed her to be disciplined for doing something that she was so passionate about. Her parents had been really upset with her for her carelessness and, to this day, she still felt a bitter taste in her mouth. Her experiments seemed far too relevant and important to her at the time. She'd been crushed to her very core by the unfair discipline both at home and at school. This time was different, though; there wasn't a good excuse. Not really. And she wasn't some immature schoolgirl anymore. She was a grown woman. Despite the fact that her reasons for working from home felt noble, Abby knew she had been reckless and sloppy.

Abby blinked a few times and resumed unpacking the groceries, trying to convince herself that life wasn't over. She stocked the cabinets with soups, crackers, rice and other staples. Her hands felt cold and, as she placed can after can into the cupboard, they began to tremble as the news sank in. Abby clasped her hands together in order to help them to stop shaking. She stared at them blankly. The bones in her hands were mending nicely, but the inner scars were still raw. As much as she tried, she couldn't see past the situation. And now with her being suspended by some random legal personnel, Abby realised just how truly horrible things were. Her lab at NCIS and her position as a forensics scientist was her life. She found her identity through her occupation. She pretty much lived and breathed her career. It was and always would be her dream job. Now she was suspended and would most like be fired. Tears sprang to her eyes but she did her best to try and blink them away. Her chest felt heavy like breathing had suddenly become a chore she must endure. She hadn't been sleeping much either because of the nightmares of Mulligan's attempted rape. Between that and the guilt she felt over revealing classified information, sleep had become elusive.

Abby sat down at Gibb's table and stared into space. Her thoughts traveled in some many directions. She deserved far worse than a simple suspension without pay. The whole thing was beginning to sink into her gut now as she realized just how much of what had happened was her fault. Her security breach had allowed Fagan full, unfettered access to top military secrets, probably more than Fagan even realized that he had. There was no way to change that. No way to get the information back. No way to…

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the front door opening and closing. Abby felt her heart rate pick up, and her immediate instinct was to hide from whatever intruder was in the house. She silently berated herself for not fastening the lock on the door. It was out of habit. Up until Janessa and Aimee coming on the scene, Gibbs never even had a lock on his door. He always left his door open. Feeling the fine hairs on the back on her neck stand up on end, Abby reached for a knife from the block on the counter and hid it behind her back. She quietly tiptoed to the side wall and peeked around the corner to see who had entered the house. Relief flooded her when she saw the familiar face.

"Gibbs?"

Abby couldn't have been more surprised to see him. What was he doing standing in his front foyer? He wasn't supposed to be home until later that afternoon. Abby knew that for certain. She'd planned to stock his house with food, do some laundry and clean up the place a little before he came home. She'd hoped to wash his sheets and hang them outside to blow dry in the warm sunshine. Nothing on earth beat the smell of freshly line dried sheets.

Gibbs smiled and walked towards her. "There are so many things I love about you, Abbs; one of them is your predictability when it comes to thinking of others. I knew I'd find you here."

Abby set the butcher knife on the side table and took Gibbs by the arm to help him sit down on the sofa. Gibbs didn't try to argue with the gesture.

"Planning to impale me?" he said, gesturing towards the knife.

Abby bit her lip. "You weren't supposed to be here to later this afternoon." She wasn't able to keep the admonishment from her voice. He had frightened her, and Abby did not like surprises. "You're lucky I looked first and didn't come running in like a madwoman!"

Gibbs chuckled at her words. "I asked to be released earlier."

Abby took a deep breath and held it for a few seconds knowing he knew about her suspension. "How'd you get here? Tony was supposed to bring you around 4ish."

Gibbs leaned his head back, resting it against the back of the sofa, looking weary. "Jenny brought me here-"

Abby instinctively looked out the large bay window fully expecting to see Jenny Shepard walking up the walkway carrying Gibbs' luggage.

"I asked her to come back later with Janessa. You and I need some time to talk."

Abby felt the colour drain from her face once again. She didn't want to discuss things with anyone yet. She'd barely had enough time to digest the situation on her own yet. The last thing she wanted or needed was to have Gibbs chat with her about things when she didn't even know how she felt.

"Now isn't a good time to chat, Gibbs." Abby stood up and went to move towards the stairs. "Now is a good time to wash the sheets." Abby felt Gibbs grip on her arm.

"Sit, Abbs."

"Gibbs, you need to rest and I still have lots of things to do-"

"They can wait," said Gibbs with a firm tone in his voice.

Abby pulled her arm away, feeling some of her old rebelliousness rise up in her. The same kind she felt when her father had commanded her to chat with him when she didn't want to talk.

"Gibbs-"

Gibbs shifted on the sofa and a soft moan escaped his lips, yet he still managed to throw her a penetrating glance. Abby couldn't mistake the look. Gibbs wasn't going to back down.

"Abby, don't make me put you in a headlock. It'll hurt like hell but I'll do it; you know I will."

A smile pulled at the corners of her mouth. Gibbs had never put her in a headlock, and he never would. She stared at him and she could tell he was doing his best to keep things light. Her heart pinched a little knowing Gibbs knew she was barely holding together.

"You and whose army, you old silver fox," she muttered, but sat down beside him.

Gibbs put his good arm around her and pulled her close. The intimate act caused Abby to shiver and snuggle in closer. Her nose was assaulted by the pungent reek of hospital disinfectant. She forced herself to ignore it and buried herself in Gibbs' chest. He felt safe. She felt safe in his arms.

"I'm sorry, Abbs."

Abby blinked back the onslaught of tears that she could no longer hold back. It was easier if people pretended everything was fine. Even a hint of sympathy made it too easy to succumb to her emotions.

"I hate it when you break your own rules," she grumbled, thinking her muffled reply wouldn't make it further than his shirt.

Gibbs pulled her in tighter to him and planted a firm kiss on the side of her head. The tenderness of the moment soon had her racked in sobs. Gibbs continued to hold her as she cried.

"I can break my own rules anytime I want too, Missy."

Abby sniffled and pulled away. "You must be part bat or something."

Gibbs shrugged. "Nope. My eyes might be failing me but my hearing is still good." His eyes sparkled a little. "Tell me what you're thinking, Abby.

Abby sat back, wiping her tears away and leaned against the back of the sofa. If truth be told, she felt numb. She was tired and just plain worn out. It felt like every good intention she'd ever had just blew up in her face. No matter how much she felt her actions were noble and good, she couldn't find any way to justify them, not even in her own mind anymore.

"I screwed up, Gibbs."

"Yah, you did," he agreed.

"And now I'm going to lose the job I love more than anything and live as a homeless woman. Not that being homeless is any less reputable; I mean I could probably do a lot of good on the streets. I've often thought of that when I've walked home through that alleyway on fourth and Kirby. Even a few nights ago, after I took a short cut down Prescott Street-"

Gibbs face paled. "Abigail! How many times have I told you to not walk down that street by yourself at night?" Gibbs looked furious with her. "And walking home through the alley? Abby! What were you thinking?"

"Chill, Gibbs. Geez. I've done it a hundred times. One time I even-"

Gibbs raised his hand to forestall her ramblings and shook his head, exasperation written across his face.

"I don't want to hear it, Abby!" he snapped. "If I catch wind of you doing it again, you'll wish I'd only head slapped you. Any questions?"

Abby's eyes widened. Gibbs underlying tone left no room for imagination. Abby understood his intentions loud and clear. She licked her dry lips and dropped her chin not knowing what to say to his admonishments. She hadn't actually intended on blurting out about her wanderings, it had just slipped out.

"You're not going to lose your job and be homeless, Abby, but there are going to be consequences for your choices and decisions," said Gibbs, changing the subject much to Abby's relief. "Neither Jenny or I can protect you from those. Breaking security protocols was so ridiculously dangerous on so many levels. Abby! Again I have to ask you: what were you thinking?"

Abby blinked back tears and rose to her feet. Pacing and wringing her hands helped release some of the pent-up emotions.

"Gibbs," her voice was a plaintive whine, but she didn't feel the least bit of remorse for it. In Gibbs living room and in the safety of his presence, she felt safe to be herself. She was secure in his love for her. "The last few years have been intense, Gibbs. You know that! Do you know how many nights I've slept on the floor trying to meet deadlines and get forensics to you as quickly as possible?"

"Abby, no one expects you to sleep at work."

Abby spun around on her heel. "That's not true, Gibbs. You do. There's been so many times when you've come roaring into my lab demanding answers. Major Mass Spec was spinning in a hundred different directions but it wasn't fast enough for you."

Gibbs raked a hand through his silvery hair and sighed. He slowly cleared his throat. Abby could see the exasperation on his face.

"Abby, I have never expected that. No one has. Yes, there are times when we need to work into the night and sometimes all night, but I never expect you to live in your lab, nor do I expect you to work from home."

Abby continued her pacing and wringing. "Working from home allows me to get a jump on things. I didn't think it was a big deal because it was more just the paperwork I was doing. I never brought classified information home."

"Abby, your computer was linked directly to your lab. Anyone hacking your computer could see everything on your computers in the lab. There is no way you could set up military firewalls in your home. Did you think you could?"

Tears fell down her cheeks. She knew it was true. She had told herself it didn't matter because no one would even think of hacking her computer. She was a nobody. She spent most of her free time hanging out with the sisters. She was the captain on a nun's bowling team. She called numbers at the bingo hall for elderly people. She wasn't exactly the most interesting person in the world for identity theft. Who would want to be Abby other than someone who was actually stuck as Abby?

"No, I didn't think I could," she admitted. She dropped her shoulders and sighed loudly. "I'm going to make you some chamomile tea, Gibbs." With those soft words, Abby disappeared into the kitchen.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Gibbs watched Abby walk into the kitchen all but dragging her feet in complete despair. He knew she was hurting. He knew that being suspended from her job was going to be a serious blow to her. Abby prided herself on a job well done. She worked hard to keep her work a caliber above the rest of her colleagues. Her professionalism rivaled the best in her field. In fact, it was a well-known fact that recruiters regularly offered Abby prestigious positions that most people couldn't even dream of receiving in their entire lifetime. Abby was the best of the best. Being suspended not only bruised her pride but had essentially knocked her off her high horse. Not completely a bad thing in Gibbs' mind. Everyone should be knocked back to earth at least once in their lifetime. God knew he'd been knocked down a peg or two in his career a time or two, mostly by Mike Franks. The idea was to pick yourself back up, learn from your mistakes and move onwards. Gibbs intended to see that Abby did just that. Wallowing in self-pity and regret wouldn't change anything.

Gibbs lay back on his sofa and stretched out. He heard himself groan audibly. It felt so good to be back in his own house. The familiar smells and sounds were like salve to his heart. He knew he would sleep soundly tonight, unlike the restless nights he had while in the hospital.

"When can Aimee come home?" asked Abby, bringing hot tea to him and settling it on the coffee table in front of him.

Gibbs tucked his hand under his head. "Probably by the weekend which brings me to what I wanted to chat with you about."

Gibbs saw Abby's eyes shimmer with tears once again.

"Gibbs, I really-"

Gibbs sat up again, really not wanting to but knowing he needed to sit up in order to gain Abby's attention.

"Abbs, sit right here." He patted the spot beside him. "We need to talk and by we I mean me. I'm going to talk and you are going to listen. Got it?"

Gibbs held his breath waiting for her to argue but was pleasantly surprised to see her sit down without a word.

"Thank you."

He reached for his tea and took a small sip. He'd rather have a stiff cup of coffee but he wasn't about to be choosy.

"Abbs, I have an extra room that you can use while this whole mess is being sorted out. You will need to lease your apartment so you can pay your rent. You can use my garage for storage of your belongings and my spare room is yours for as long as you need-"

"But Gibbs-"

"Not up for discussion, Abbs. It's either that or the convent with the sisters, and I have it under good authority that Mother Superior already has her eye on you."

Abby smirked and rolled her eyes but remained quiet. Gibbs could tell she knew he was joking.

"You'll need a safe place, Abbs and the truth is I need you. I'm not in any shape to take care of two little girls on my own right now. Aimee is enough work for three sets of parents and right now she is not at all happy with me."

"Why?"

Gibbs wrapped his hands around his mug. "Well, like I told Tony, I can't keep holding off child services forever. The case has now been classified a cold case-"

Abby's mouth dropped. "That's crazy Gibbs! We haven't found Sawyer yet. We still have plenty of leads to follow regarding Fagan and Stratton. I have-"

"I finally got a hold of Fornell, Abbs. FBI has this case. It's no longer an MRCT case. It's out of our hands, which means I cannot keep Janessa and Aimee in my protective custody any longer. I have to give then over to child services so they can be placed in a permanent home."

Abby covered her mouth with her hands. "But Gibbs, they belong to you!"

Gibbs shook his head. "No, Abbs, they don't. If you have noticed, I'm an old grouchy man. I'm not a spring chicken who has the stamina to chase after kids and attend PTA meetings. Those days have sailed for me. Even when I was younger, Shannon did that stuff. I wasn't made to be pleasant and diplomatic. I throw chairs and growl at people."

Abby reached out and put her hand on Gibbs' forearm. "Gibbs, it's not about that at all. It's about love."

Gibbs took another sip of his tea. Realising it had cooled enough to gulp, he took a long, deep swallow before setting the cup on the table. He felt the warm liquid trickle down his throat and it soothed his nerves somewhat.

"I tried to have a long chat with Aimee about things, but it didn't go well. She is scared and I don't blame her. Her whole life has been turned upside down, and she has no consistency in her life. I need to remedy that as soon as possible. The best thing I can do for those girls is help get them placed in a loving home with a mother and father. People who can help them grow up to be decent adults who can contribute to this world. I am not that person, Abbs. I'm not."

"You're wrong, Gibbs."

Gibbs sighed. He didn't have the strength to convince Abby otherwise, just like he didn't have the patience to convince Tony earlier. He'd made up his mind and nothing they could say would change it.

"The point is, Abby, I need your help. I know things are rough for you right now, but helping those girls—helping me—will help keep your mind off things. Will you stay, Abbs? Please?"

Gibbs pleaded with her with his eyes. He wasn't going to force her to stay with him. He knew she could stay with Ziva or the sisters or any number of friends he knew she had, but he liked to think they were family and family stuck together when they needed each other.

"I'll stay, Gibbs."

"Thank you, Abby."

Gibbs pulled her close and she rested her head on his shoulder quietly. The silence was comfortable but at the same time, Abby being silent worried him. It was a very rare occurrence indeed.

"Gibbs?"

"Yah, Abbs?"

"Are you disappointed in me?"

Gibbs frowned and pushed her away so he could see her face.

"What do you mean?"

Abby sighed. "I risked my life and people died. I didn't mean too and I didn't know I did it, but I did it all the same. If I hadn't been so reckless then maybe Aimee and Janessa's family would still be alive. My stupidity led Stratton right to them!" Tears ran down Abby's cheeks and into her mouth. "Mulligan almost…" Abby choked on her words. "I mean he came so close to…"

Gibbs pulled her into a tight embrace. "Oh, Abby, I'm so so sorry all that happened to you. None of this is directly your fault. Yes, you made some choices that weren't wise and the results have been catastrophic but, Abby, you need to hear me on this, okay?"

He pushed her away and held her forearms firmly so he had her eye contact. "Stratton and MS-13 are an insidious, heinous group. Percy may or may not have known what he'd gotten himself into, but there is no doubt in my mind that Percy was scum. He tattooed information on a child and set her up to be literally a time bomb. No sane man does that to a child! Stratton was going to find Percy with or without your help. I have no idea how everything fits together that led to the way things happened that night. I still don't understand where Andrew fit into the mix. I have more questions than answers and we may never get all the answers. The important thing for you to realise is this: what went down that day was not your fault. Don't take ownership for something that you had no control over. It won't do you any good. You, my dear, only need to take ownership for your own actions. Hold yourself accountable for that, make amends and move on."

Abby blinked back tears and her bottom lip trembled. "How do I do that, Gibbs?"

Gibbs smiled at her and kissed her forehead. "I have faith in you, Abby. You will figure it out. I'm sure of it."


	35. Chapter 35

_**A/N Wow! Thanks so much for the lovely reviews. I was so inspired to find time to write this week because of them.**_

 _ **To the guest who asked me about the JIBBS content...I would say at this point, Jenny and Gibbs are much like they are in canon but will be growing closer because of the girls. Does that tease your interest? Stay tuned and let me know if you like how things progress. Thanks for the Abby-hug :D**_

 _ **As far as Gibbs keeping the girls, things are going to be interesting...*wink wink***_

 _ **P.S. I discovered that Dickie Dees are actually a Canadian thing. Who knew? Just google it and you will see what I mean. haha**_

 ** _I thought it was Janessa's turn._**

 ** _Enjoy and thanks for inspiring me with your reviews._**

 ** _xo_**

 ** _Jenny_**

Gibbs pulled the towel off his head and rested it on his shoulders. He used his good arm to wipe the steam off the mirror in the bathroom. He leaned in close and stared at his face, his grey-blue eyes. There was no doubt about it; the guy staring back at him was getting old. Crow's feet around the eyes, wrinkles on his forehead and a whole mop of gray hair; it was a hard thing to overlook. Aging seemed to sneak up on him when he wasn't looking. Gibbs sighed, pulled the damp towel off his shoulders and scrubbed it over his scalp once more before hanging it up. He switched off the light and left the room, running his hand through his hair to smooth it out. His short, no-nonsense, military crew cut served him well. Even when he couldn't find a comb, his hair usually dried looking presentable.

The door across from the bathroom captured his attention and a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. Bright pink lettering announced Aimee's and Janessa's names on the outside on the door. Gibbs opened the door and was in complete awe of Abby's handiwork. Considering Aimee and Janessa were only temporarily staying with him, Abby had managed to make Kelly's old room look like a little girl oasis. One side of the room was completely decorated in Disney Princess, complete with a pink curtained canopy bed. Pristine white furniture and rainbow rug graced the right side of the room. Toys and books littered the shelves with absolute precision. It wasn't difficult to know whose side of the room it was meant for. Janessa would love it beyond a shadow of a doubt.

In stark contrast, the left side of the room was done in brilliant shades of pink and green camouflage. Gibbs wandered over and sat on the indoor hammock chair that had been attached to the ceiling. That was probably the racket he had heard the day before when Abby accosted Tim into coming over. She had held the man hostage most of the day, but Gibbs knew that Tim hadn't seemed to mind at all. The two of them had spent most of the afternoon running in and out of the house carrying this and that up the stairs. Gibbs had to admit, he thought Abby was bringing in her own belongings. He hadn't even thought about the room the girls were using. He'd always had twin beds in the room and just thought the girls could sleep in them. Obviously, Abby had had other ideas. His eyes continued to take in Aimee's side of the room. He had to admit the swinging hammock chair was a pretty cool idea. He swung back and forth with a chuckle. Leave it to Abby to be so imaginative. She had definitely nailed the girls' personalities. Aimee's bed was actually raised off the floor like a top bunk bed. Beneath it was a desk, several storage cupboards, and shelves. Gibbs had to admit he was impressed at the cool lighting Tim and Abby had installed as well as several large pillows that made up a reading nook under her bunk. It was a kid's dream room, uniquely created with each girl in mind. A set of fun steps up the side of the bunk would complete the look, Gibbs thought, as he turned to look at Janessa's side once again. A wooden dollhouse, complete with furniture and lighting would be a nice finishing touch to Janessa's side. He felt his hands itching to work with wood, and those projects just seem to scream out at him.

Gibbs shook his head and stood to his feet. Now he was doing it. Janessa and Aimee were not his girls. This was a temporary situation. He'd already spoken with child services, and they were assigning a social worker to find the girls a permanent home. And the sooner, the better. For everyone. It was the right thing to do. Gibbs picked up the remote control airplane sitting on the shelf by the window. He couldn't help but smile. Aimee was definitely the tomboy of the two girls. She would absolutely love flying the plane. Hell, he'd love to teach her how to fly it. His eyes caught sight of the set of Nancy Drew books stacked neatly on the shelf under the bunk; he could just imagine the look of Aimee's face when she saw them. It looked like Abby had managed to commandeer the entire collection. Abby had thought of everything.

"Gibbs! Gibbs!"

Gibbs turned to see a flushed faced Abby rush in the room. Childish excitement radiated from her. Gibbs had to literally laugh out loud at Abby's appearance. She was in rainbow overalls with a small, white skull pictured on the front of her bright pink t-shirt. Her hair was tied in high ponytails on top of her head, and she had matching pink bows in her hair. Her outfit resembled something similar to Rainbow Brite, including matching high top rainbow boots. She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tight enough to cut off his air supply.

"Don't you just love it? Isn't it just perfect?" She squealed. Her voice was bubbling with enthusiasm.

Gibbs had to agree. The room was perfect. Abby had thought of everything. The only trouble was, the girls weren't staying that long, and they might be very disappointed to leave. Of course, it definitely made it easier for when they came to visit him which he sincerely hoped they would. Time would tell. Hopefully, he would have an amicable relationship with their adoptive parents.

"It's amazing, Abbs. They're gonna love it!" Gibbs peeled Abby's arms off his neck and planted a kiss on her forehead. "What about your room? You told me you were getting Tim to help move your stuff in. Where did you get the money to do all this?"

Colour came to Abby's cheeks as she sat down in the hammock chair. "I had some extra money and I thought it would cheer them up. They've been through so much."

Gibbs frowned. "How much?"

"Not much."

"Abby."

Abby spun around a few times, twisting in the chair. "Money doesn't matter as long as it brings a smile to their faces. Besides, they needed a cool room. All Aimee needs now is some cool stairs up into her bunk, and I printed off a few plans I found on Pinterest. You could built them for her, Gibbs."

"Pinterest?" echoed Gibbs wondering what exactly that was.

"Yeah, it's this place where you can pin ideas that you like to boards. I have been pinning things ever since the girls came to live with you. I have boards for both Aimee and Janessa. I have one for you too, Gibbs, cuz seriously, your bedroom is still stuck in the seventies. You really need to expand your horizons-"

Gibbs wrinkled his nose trying to figure out what the heck Abby was talking about, but it was really no use. Most of the time he had no clue, and he really ought to have accepted that years ago.

"Well, now is a time to be tightening your belt, Abby, not spending your money. Let me know how much you spent and I'll reimburse you."

Abby made a face. "Gibbs…"

They were interrupted by a high pitch scream and a vehicle door slamming down below in his laneway.

"Looks like one of the munchkins is home," said Gibbs, walking over and peering out the window. Below in the driveway, he saw Jenny struggling with Janessa. He furrowed his brow wondering what on earth was going on. Jenny looked upset, and Janessa appeared to be in the middle of a full-blown temper tantrum, something he'd never seen from her. Jenny appeared to have things under control but it still worried Gibbs.

"Which munchkin?" asked Abby, pulling him away from his thoughts momentarily.

"Janessa and Jenny," said Gibbs with a smirk. Abby giggled at the insinuation. Gibbs continued, "Tony said he'd bring Aimee home this afternoon. She's been released from the hospital, but he wanted to take her out for lunch. Apparently, he felt that she needed some good old fashioned junk food after being cooped up so long."

Abby stood to her feet and grinned. "Sounds like Tony." She giggled for a few moments and then sobered. "Well, I want to spend some time organizing my room now before I let you see it." She walked towards the door and turned to face him. "Thanks for offering to let me stay, Gibbs. I'm not sure what I'd do without you. You were right; helping you and the girls is just what I needed to keep my mind off things for a while." With those words, Abby skipped from the room. Gibbs shook his head slightly. He didn't know whether to smile or worry when it came to Abby Sciuto. He left the girls room slowly, closing the door behind him.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Another shrill scream caused him to pick up his pace and hurry his way down the stairs. Once he reached the bottom of the stairs, the door flung open and in walked Jenny carrying Janessa flailing her arms and feet while screaming at the top of her lungs. Gibbs narrowed his eyes in concern as he took in the surprising scene. Janessa's face was red with anger and tears streamed down her cheeks as Jenny released her. As soon as the five-year old's feet hit the floor, she turned on Jenny with fury in her eyes.

"I don't like you!" Janessa stomped her foot.

Jenny tucked wisps of hair behind her ears and glanced helplessly at Gibbs before returning her attention to the tantruming child in front of her.

"I'm sad to hear you say that, Nessa, but I'm still not changing my mind," replied Jenny keeping her voice calm despite looking very exasperated.

Gibbs bit his bottom lip in amusement as he watched the battle rage on. Jenny Shepard wasn't used to being challenged by anyone but him; he sort of found the scene humorous.

Janessa took her jacket off and threw it at Jenny. "You're not the boss of me!"

Gibbs furrowed his brow in confusion, wondering what could have brought about the tantrum. Janessa was usually an easy-going child, and it was extremely rare to see her so angry and upset. He decided to intervene to help Jenny diffuse the situation. More times than not, redirection and levity were just what were needed to sidetrack a kid and make the situation less intense. Gibbs reached out and scooped Janessa up into his arms but immediately her body stiffened telling Gibbs she wasn't going to be talked down from her tirade anytime soon.

Janessa twisted in his arms and struggled to get free. "Lemme go!" Gibbs released her and she crossed her arms defiantly, glaring at him. "I want ice cream!"

Gibbs glanced at the wall clock to see that it was approaching noon. "Well, let's have some lunch and you can have some for dessert. How does that sound? I think Abby bought some vanilla ice cream." He answered.

"I don't like vanilla," she snapped.

"Okay, then maybe after lunch we can go out for ice cream. But I have to say, I don't like the way you're speaking to me or Director Shepard right now."

Janessa stomped her foot again. "She wouldn't let me get any ice cream from the ice cream man." Janessa poked a finger at Jenny with a look of disdain on her face.

Jenny stepped forward further into the foyer and closed the door behind her. She had a Disney princess backpack slung over her shoulder and a look of weariness on her face.

"Nessa and I were having a great time until we reached your street, Jethro. Why is it that your street is the only street left in the entire world that still has a Dickie Dee?" Jenny set the backpack on the floor and put her hands on her hips looking discouraged and maybe even a little disheartened.

Gibbs smiled. "Funny, Shannon used to say the same thing. I'm having a bad case of Deja vu right now."

"Why don't you tell Gibbs about the movie we saw at the theater yesterday?" suggested Jenny, with a hopeful tone to her voice. The overly pleasant tone caused a smirk to play on Gibbs' lips. Newbie mistake, he thought. Go for the change of topic.

"No!" snapped Janessa.

The small child ducked around Jenny and started for the door. Gibbs could tell she had only one thing on her mind, and there was no way she was going to be sidetracked. Gibbs quickly scooted towards the door and flipped the latch. He then stooped down to Janessa's level and sidelined her before she could tantrum more, taking her gently by the forearms

"Hey! That attitude is not okay, Miss Janessa. You don't need to talk to Director Shepard like that."

Janessa stomped her foot again and jerked herself free, crossing her arms. "Go away, Dummy head."

Gibbs rose to his full height and turned to Jenny. "Has she been like this the whole time?"

Jenny shook her head. "Not at all. We've had a lovely time. She's been good as gold. Like I said, once we turned onto your street and she saw the Dickie Dee, that's all she wanted. I told her no and she didn't like my answer. I'm as surprised as you are."

Gibbs shrugged. It actually didn't surprise him that Janessa would have a tantrum. It was completely normal for five years to do. It actually was a relief to him in some ways. While Aimee was the one to act out most of the time, Janessa never upset the waters at all. It had worried him. It was normal for children to test boundaries when they felt safe and equally normal to test boundaries to feel safe. Aimee wanted to see if the adults around her cared enough to keep her safe while Janessa was beginning to feel comfortable enough to test adults because she felt safe. It was a good sign.

From the corner of his eye, Gibbs saw Janessa reach up and unlatch the deadbolt on his door. She was determined; Gibbs couldn't help but admire her spunk. In fact, he was relieved to see it.

"Coffee is fresh and hot, Jenn, let me see if I can dissuade Janessa a little."

Jenny nodded. "Good luck," she said, not unkindly, as she leaned down and picked up Janessa's jacket from the floor and walked towards the kitchen.

Gibbs saw the smirk on her face. Both of them knew this little tantrum was a good sign and neither of them felt angry with the little girl.

Gibbs reached out and grabbed Janessa's hands before she could complete her task.

"Let's have a chat, Nessie."

Gibbs used his thumb to wipe away some tears from her cheek. Janessa was almost choking on her sobs as she attempted to catch her breath. Gibbs' heart went out to her. A big part of him wanted to chase down the Dickie Dee man and buy her a triple-decker cone. If she wanted ice cream that badly, why couldn't she have it? She'd been through hell and back the last few months. If ice cream could heal that pain, he'd have bought her a transport truck of it. The thing was Gibbs knew it wasn't ice cream she wanted. She wanted to feel safe and know that the adults in her life right now would keep her safe, even from herself.

"I don't wanna talk. I want ice cream," she mumbled, half-heartedly.

Gibbs gently picked her up again. Immediately he knew it was a bad move on his part. She started screaming again, struggling and flailing in his arms. Gibbs silently berated himself for his bad judgment. He should have continued talking to her without invading her personal space but figured since he already had her in his arms, he'd remove her from the front foyer. Ignoring her screams, he carried her to the living room and plunked her down on the sofa unceremoniously. She jumped to her feet and swung at him in vexation. Her tiny fists connected with his thigh.

"Don't touch me!"

Gibbs sat on the coffee table and reached for her forearms. "Hey, I get you're angry right now, but you may not hit me."

Janessa balled up her hands into fists again and swung at his face this time. Gibbs spun her around facing away from his face and restrained her, pinning her arms across her chest. He could feel her heart beating in her chest and her breathing rapidly increased at being confined.

"Lemme go!"

Gibbs held her firmly. "Only if you promise to stop trying to hit me."

She continued to wiggle in his arms.

"Do you promise?" he asked.

"No!" she screamed. She kicked her feet briskly nearly kneeing Gibbs in the mouth.

Gibbs used one of his legs to pin her legs down. He held her gently but firmly for a minute before he spoke again.

"I'm going to let you go now. I would like you to sit on the sofa and talk with me."

He waited for a response but received none. He slowly released his grip on her and set her gently on the sofa in front of him. She glared at him and poked her tongue out.

He sighed. Her belligerent behaviour needed to be addressed before he would be able to have a rational conversation with her. "You have earned a time out, young lady."

He picked her up and before she could react, he plunked her down on the stool in the corner facing him. He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket, set it for five minutes and placed it on the side table beside her so she could see the large red numbers.

"Sit quietly for five minutes. When the timer goes off, we will try talking again."

"You're not my boss," she snapped and poked her tongue out again.

Gibbs knelt down close to her face and wagged a finger at her sternly. "You're not allowed to talk. If you do, the time begins again." He looked at her and when she opened her mouth to speak again, he gently tapped her lips. "No talking."

He stood up and set the timer, making sure it was facing her so she could see it. As he started to walk to the sofa to sit down, Janessa stood up and ran towards the door. Without a word, Gibbs caught her, sat her back down and restarted the timer. Within seconds she was up again. Gibbs and Janessa did the same dance several times before Gibbs decided to up the ante some. He scooped her up, set her on the stool once more and pointed his finger at her nose.

"If you get up again, you will get one swat and then you will have to sit on a stinging bottom for five minutes."

He set the timer once again and walked to sit down in his chair. He looked at Janessa and could see the wheels churning in her mind as she debated his words. Gibbs had to admit he was surprised that she was being so strong-willed. He hadn't expected such a willful struggle with Janessa. For some reason, tonight she was determined to have her way. Suddenly, it didn't feel like they were fighting over ice cream anymore. It was a battle to see if he would keep his word. He closed his eyes for a moment when Janessa jumped to feet again and raced to the door. His heart beat a little faster as he rose to his feet and caught her in his arms before she escaped out the door. Without a word, he carried her back to the stool, applied a sharp, stinging swat to her backside and plunked her firmly back on the stool. Janessa's eyes widened as the sting settled in and immediately started to cry. This time the cry didn't sound defiant; in fact, her demeanor instantly changed and she buried her head in her hands. Gibbs' heart pinched in his chest. Her reaction made him feel horrible, but he forced himself to reset the timer and sit in his chair. Janessa didn't move this time but continued to hide her face and cry.

The five minutes crept by at a snail's pace as Gibbs tried not to stare at the pathetic-looking little girl sitting on his stool in the corner. Soon the timer went off and Gibbs turned it off. He walked over and knelt to her level once more, pulling her tiny hands away from her face.

"Ready to talk?"

Janessa launched herself into his arms right away in answer and continued sobbing pathetically. "I…I…I'm sorry," she whimpered with a hiccup, struggling to catch her breath.

Gibbs stumbled backward on his backside, not ready for her forceful entry into his arms. He grimaced slightly as pain shot up into his injured shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her despite the shooting pain and raked a hand through her long blond hair, shushing her quietly.

"Shhh, it's over now. You're fine," he crooned.

Janessa slowly started to calm down as Gibbs held her. Gibbs didn't bother trying to get up from the floor. He wasn't sure how he could maneuver himself to his feet with her entangled in his arms anyway. Instead, he wiggled himself until he was leaning against the wall for support. He held her and rocked her for several minutes and before long he found himself humming softly in her ear. Her breathing slowed and he felt her calm down, relaxing in his arms.

"Ready to talk?" he asked again.

He felt her nod under his chin. He pushed her away so he could see her face. Her cheeks were bright red and her nose was running, tears still falling down her cheeks. He reached up and grabbed a tissue from the box on the side table, wiping her nose with it gently.

"You okay?"

She nodded.

"No more poking your tongue out at me or talking back, okay?"

She nodded again.

"Did the cat get your tongue?"

She screwed up her nose in confusion. "What cat?"

Gibbs smiled. "Never mind. Are you ready to eat some lunch?"

"Okay." She wriggled around on his lap. "Can we have ice cream for dessert?"

Gibbs bit his lip to keep from laughing at her persistence. "Depends. Will you say you're sorry to Director Shepard?"

Janessa nodded again and wiped her nose with the back of her hand. Gibbs grimaced but couldn't help chuckling. He set her on her feet and was then able to stand up himself. Just as he got to his feet, his cell phone rang out loudly.

"Director Shepard is in the kitchen; how about helping her make some lunch? What do you say?"

"Okay." Janessa sucked in her bottom lip slightly but didn't move. Gibbs knew she wasn't quite ready to leave the room yet so he grabbed his cell and answered it while stroking his fingers through Janessa's silky hair.

"Gibbs," he said.

"Gibbs!" said a familiar voice full of alarm and urgency.

Gibbs immediately recognised Tony's voice and his heart skipped a beat in his chest. Tony was supposed to be picking Aimee up at the hospital and bringing her back to Gibbs house.

"They found Sawyer."


	36. Chapter 36

_**A/N**_

 _ **Thanks for all the fantastic reviews!**_

 _ **This chapter is beginning to tie the case together to help make sense of what is going on...hopefully, it is starting to clear up some of your questions. NCIS cases are hard to write! Lots of research and thinking...owww, my head hurts. LOL**_

 _ **Still more to come, though...**_

 _ **Spring break is over...BOOHOO**_

 _ **Guest, regarding other stories to read, I haven't read very many case-**_ _ **related stories on Fanfiction. There are probably many of them, but my time is so limited when it comes to reading. I never read stories that are older and unfinished because I find that so frustrating. I enjoyed reading Mindless Creations stories because I love stories about children and the NCIS characters as a family. (De-aged Tony and Ziva are so cute!) I also will make a shameless plug for a story I wrote in another fandom. The story is called Stalling for Time. It is a story about hostage negotiation. I spent a lot of time researching it to make it as real and authentic as possible. (It is science fiction in some respects, but the hostage negotiation is real.) Fanfiction does assume you know the characters, but I think if you read my story, you wouldn't have any trouble warming up to the characters. My plan is to work to change the story into an original work so I can possibly publish it at some point. Anyway, that is my shameless plug :)**_

 _ **Thanks to all of you that have been reading and leaving reviews. It really has inspired me to keep writing this story. Your encouragement and kind words have made me smile and also have given me ideas sometimes, and I think as a fanfiction writer I love that the most. The little suggestions and input readers include in their reviews and private messages sometimes sway my muse in other directions. You might even be my co-writer and not even know it.**_

 _ **Have a splendiloquent day!**_

 _ **xo**_

 _ **Jenny :)**_

Gibbs pulled off his black NCIS cap and scratched his head. Yes, he was supposed to be on hiatus. Yes, his shoulder, arm, and chest still hurt like hell. Yes, he should have been resting. But since when did Jethro Gibbs do anything he was supposed to do? He returned his hat to his head, briefly massaged his aching shoulder, and re-adjusted his arm in the sling before he stared down impatiently at Palmer.

"Got a time of death yet, Palmer?" he said again for what must have been the third time in as many minutes.

Ducky stood up and placed a comforting hand on Gibbs' shoulder.

"Patience, Jethro; the body is half frozen. Mr. Palmer is doing the best he can, given the unusual circumstances."

Gibbs sighed and stepped back leaving Ducky and Palmer enough room to work the crime scene. From the corner of his eye, he could see Tony parked several yards up the road shielding Aimee from anything to be seen. He could see Aimee crawling over the seats and grabbing at Tony's hat. Gibbs smiled for a moment as he saw Tony reach around and tickle her. He was grateful for his team. They all went above and beyond the call of duty when it came to the girls. They all pitched in to help protect and take care of the girls.

Tony had been the first one called to the scene. Normally, it would have been Gibbs, but he was considered off on medical leave and that made Tony the SFA. Gibbs puffed out his cheeks in dismay. This was the exact reason why he needed to find the girls a good, solid home. Bringing children to crime scenes must border on abuse in someone's books. It certainly did in his mind. Of course, Tony had had no choice, but he'd handled it with the utmost decorum. He had called in McGee, Ziva, and Gibbs just as soon as he could.

"How is your shoulder, Gibbs?"

Gibbs startled a little and blinked a few times to see Ziva standing in front of him. He had been so lost in his thoughts staring at Aimee and Tony that he hadn't heard her come up.

"Hurts like hell, but I'll live. Whaddya got?" he said, not wishing to have anyone draw attention to him. His mind needed to stay focussed on the case at hand and nothing more.

Ziva looked at her notepad, camera hanging around her neck. She was taking notes and measurements and shooting pictures of the scene while McGee gathered up surrounding evidence.

"It did not happen here, obviously." Gibbs remained quiet as he glanced briefly at the body Ducky was examining, partially frozen, still lying in a leaf and dirt covered grave. The body showed signs of horrendous trauma. The disfigured and bloated appearance also suggested something else, but Gibbs didn't dare speculate. Whenever he did, he was usually incorrect anyway. It appeared like Sawyer had been mercilessly tortured before he died; that much was apparent.

"The vehicle, likely a SUV by the looks of the tire treads, stopped and dropped the body here. Whoever it was only made a half-hearted attempt to bury it." She pointed to the two teenage kids with a dog in the distance, who were being questioned by the local police. "The teens were out shooting pop cans with airsoft rifles and their dog found the body."

Gibbs narrowed his eyes as he took in the scene before him. Nothing was subtle or hidden. "They wanted him found," muttered Gibbs, referring to whoever placed the body in its grave.

Ziva nodded in agreement. "It looks that way."

Leaving Ziva to finish her investigation, Gibbs walked back over to Palmer and Ducky, still hovering over the deceased body. "Got anything, Ducky?" Gibbs would be the first to admit he was being impatient. Everything about this case was driving him to distraction and if something didn't break soon, Gibbs was beginning to think his sanity would.

Ducky looked up with an odd expression on his face. "A bad case of indigestion, I'm afraid." The elder man adjusted his bow tie looking uncomfortable.

Gibbs frowned ignoring Ducky's obvious look of discomfort. He knew Ducky had been called out in the middle of his luncheon with some colleagues. Ducky had likely rushed his meal and was feeling the discomfort from it. "I was referring to the dead guy, Duck." Gibbs wasn't feeling much in the mood for exhibiting patience of any kind.

Palmer's head popped up almost as if ready to annoy him. "Technically, paramedics have a saying regarding cold-water drownings, Agent Gibbs. They say a victim isn't dead until he is warm and dead."

Ducky placed a hand on Palmer's shoulder. "I think we can make an exception in this case, Mr. Palmer." Palmer smiled and nodded his agreement.

Gibbs narrowed his eyes at the young medical examiner in training. "What the hell are you talking about, Palmer?"

"Look here, Agent Gibbs."

Palmer went on to point out several things that somehow were supposed to prove to him that the deceased spent a fair bit of time in water, possibly even being a victim of drowning. Gibbs' felt his head pounding at the information overload. Pathology wasn't his forte. He wanted layman's terms.

"Duck?"

Ducky scratched the side of his head while continuing to hover over the body, examining it as meticulously as he could out in the field. "It could be any number of things, Jethro." He also pointed to several bruises and lacerations on the body. "There is blunt force trauma to the frontal bone here as well as what appears to be several contusions to the temporal bone right here. It really is impossible at this point to decipher the cause of death, Jethro. I need to get him back to autopsy to be sure."

"Time of death?"

"He's too frozen to get the probe in, Agent Gibbs," replied Palmer, smiling that annoying smile that Gibbs often wished to smack off his face. Gibbs glared at him, and the smile melted from the younger man's face. Gibbs sighed and almost as an afterthought reached out and patted the young man on the shoulder. Palmer was just being his normal jovial self, and Gibbs' conscience pricked at him a little for being so damned irritated with the kid.

Ducky wandered towards Gibbs. "Reminds me of the time I conducted an autopsy on a victim who-"

"Duck-" attempting to cut the man off before he could launch into one of his long-winded stories but left the name lingering in the air and turned back to Palmer. "Give me _something_ , Palmer." Gibbs winced, hoping the desperation he heard in his voice was only heard by himself.

"Well, decomposition suggests no more than a day or two at most, but I can't be sure until he thaws."

Gibbs scrubbed a hand over his face as he took in the surroundings. They were in the back forty of some random farmer's unused farmland surrounded in thick scrub bush. Despite the remote location, it seemed to be a well-travelled area. From the corner of his eye, he could see a fair amount of targets that looked well used. It was obvious that this wasn't the first time kids or whoever had been out here shooting targets. It was beyond evident that Sawyer's body was meant to be found. So, why? What was he missing? There had to be a point to it. His killers had to have a reason for wanting Sawyer to be found. Ms-13 wasn't reckless. They didn't make foolish mistakes, and Gibbs wasn't so naive to believe that MS-13 couldn't murder people and make the evidence disappear forever.

Gibbs turned to Ziva who was still taking pictures and taking notes.

"Nearly finished, Ziver?"

"Yes, Gibbs."

"Would you mind relieving DiNozzo and taking Aimee back to my place? Abby is there and she can watch the kids."

"Yes. Gibbs?" she asked, hesitating and looking like she needed to ask him something.

Gibbs' eyes met hers for a moment, warmth radiating from them.

"How is Abby holding up?"

Gibbs' face was deadpan. He didn't want to reveal too much of his concerns regarding Abby. His mind was still reeling in a hundred directions trying to figure out what he was going to do regarding her himself. While she seemed content to have adopted her role as caregiver to the girls, Gibbs knew Abby. They were in the eye of storm right now and everything was peaceful and calm. Eventually, everything was going to hit the fan, and he knew he had to be ready for the inevitable. What that looked like and how he was going to handle it was about as distant from him as a mirage.

"She's doing ok, but I'm not sure everything has sunk in yet."

"I did not think she would be suspended, Gibbs. I am worried. What does that mean for her career at NCIS?"

Gibbs pulled off his gloves and tucked them in his back pocket. "It's all going to work out, kiddo, don't you worry, okay?" He winked at her.

Ziva's face flushed. "Gibbs, I am not a kid."

"You're my kid, Ziva, and I've got this." Mostly Gibbs just wanted to comfort her and by association, he was reassuring himself. Hearing himself say things were okay didn't make things okay but until he figured things out, he needed to keep up the pretension.

Ziva looked like she wanted to argue but remained silent and for that Gibbs was grateful. An uncomfortable silence settled into the air for several moments, and then it was broken by the sound of an approaching vehicle. Gibbs turned to see a black Ford sedan pull up and park off to the side of the field. His brows disappeared into his hairline when he saw Tobias Fornell exit the car.

"Relieve Tony, Ziver," he said and began to walk towards Fornell.

As Gibbs made the short distance to the FBI agent, his long-time friend, he felt a whole gambit of emotions wash over him. Fornell was someone he'd wanted to talk to for a very long time, and truth be known, Gibbs was beyond pissed with the man. Fornell had lied to him, kept secrets from him and basically screwed him over for months and then had the audacity to go AWAL with his daughter at the most inopportune time. To say that Gibbs was pissed off at the guy was an understatement. As Gibbs got closer, his walk turned into something reminiscent of a tantruming toddler's stomp. Fornell stood by his car quietly anticipating Gibbs' ire.

Gibbs reached Fornell and pounded his fist on the hood of his car. "You son of a bitch! Where the hell have you been? Why haven't you taken my calls?" Gibbs was shouting, and he didn't care who heard him.

Fornell held up a hand to silence him, as his eyes traveled in the direction of Ducky and Palmer.

"Is that Kyle Sawyer?"

"Yes, dammit. Just who the hell was Sawyer? Do you have any idea what he did? Do you?" Gibbs poked a penetrating finger into Fornell's chest.

Fornell brushed Gibb's hand away and dropped his chin, muttering under his breath.

Gibbs felt his temper burning red hot. "What the hell are you mumbling about?"

Fornell raised his head, and a look of sheer pain lingered in his eyes.

"He was a damned good agent, Jethro."

"Well, now he's a damned good dead agent, Tobias. For crying out loud, tell me what the hell is going on! I'm sick to death of being left in the dark while you sons of bitches at the FBI and Homeland security sit back and let innocent kids get kidnapped and tortured. Enlighten me, gawddamnit!"

Fornell's face reddened. "Don't get in my face and act like none of this is NCIS' fault, Gibbs! You know damned well that this has everything to do with Miss Sciuto's breach of security. The whole reason why we had to send in a double agent was because Homeland security gave us a tip that someone was hacking into encrypted military data. We thought there was a mole at NCIS. We needed to figure out where the security leak was and it was the only way to do it. No one could know, Jethro, not even you!"

Gibbs slammed his fist down on the hood on the car again. He could feel the warmth radiating from the car's engine as he leaned on it. As angry as he was at Tobias for keeping secrets from him, he knew everything the man was saying was true. A security leak coming from NCIS put many lives at risk; Homeland security wouldn't have allowed the FBI to give anyone at NCIS even a hint of what was happening. Every single employee would have been under the strictest of scrutiny, including Gibbs himself. Gibbs heaved a weighted sigh and leaned against the car, crossing his arms in utter frustration.

"You could have told me, Tobias. Damnit, if you don't trust me by now, you never will."

Fornell chuckled. "If I trusted you, Jethro, I would have believed you about Diane."

A smile tugged at the corner of Gibb's lips. The fact that Tobias had married his ex-wife was still humorous in his mind, even after all these years.

"Don't say I didn't warn you."

"Shut-up, Jethro."

The two men stood in silence staring towards the crime scene. It wasn't until Tim came rushing towards him that Gibbs made a motion to speak again.

"Boss! Boss!" Tim came running up holding out what looked like a piece of fabric.

Gibbs furrowed his brow and struggled to recognise what Tim was holding out towards him. His stomach churned as he reached for his gloves once more and put them on. Taking the evidence in his hands, he realised what it was. Tim had found Aimee's tattoo.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Gibbs poured himself a cup of coffee from the nook in Jenny Shepard's office. He didn't even want it, but he needed something to calm him down. If things continued the way they were, Gibbs was sure he'd end up having a coronary. He didn't relish going back to the hospital. He still remembered the young, cheeky nurse who had bossed him around. He didn't wish to meet up with her anytime soon. His doctor had reminded him time and time again that he needed to find ways to alleviate the stress levels in his life. Smacking DiNozzo didn't seem to work for the long term.

"Stop pacing, Fornell and spit it out," said Gibbs as he spun on his heel and returned to the conference table. Gibbs sat on the corner and watched as Fornell paced and grumbled under his breath.

"Where is Shepard, anyway?"

"Well, things are complicated as all hell, Tobias. My team and I have been trying to balance taking care of two little girls since this whole thing blew up in our faces."

"The Percy girls?"

Gibbs took a sip of his coffee and allowed the hot beverage to linger in his mouth a few seconds before swallowing. He let the question linger in the room, knowing that it didn't need an answer.

Fornell grimaced. "Jonathan Percy was a despicable excuse for a human being."

Gibbs set his mug on the table and glared. "Tobias, I've been beating my head against the wall trying to piece this gawddamned case together and nothing has made any sense. I'm sick to death of it."

"I want Sawyer's killer, Gibbs."

"Is that an offer for a joint investigation?"

Fornell sighed. "You know that's not how it works, Jethro. Besides, aren't you on some kind of medical leave?"

Gibbs growled.

Fornell stopped pacing and pulled out the closest chair. He sat down and put his head in his hands, shaking it back and forth.

"We've been tracking the movements of MS-13 for the past 10 years, Gibbs. They've infiltrated the United States slowly and deliberately, working their way into the military. Going after our youngest recruits seemed like child's play to them. All the while, they continued their underground trafficking. Homeland security has been following some of the wealthiest members and marking trends. We found out that Stratton is one of the wealthiest, and he is buried in it, hook, line, and sinker. He's got his fingers in everywhere. Human trafficking has made him a fat cat, and we haven't been able to do anything to catch him."

"Where did Percy fit in?"

"Jonathan Percy was a low life scum who tripped across Stratton's underground work quite by accident. He just happened to be at the right place at the right time and caught Stratton red handed. Percy was smart and was able to abscond with some critical information linking Stratton to some pretty heinous stuff. One thing that MS-13 has always prided themselves on is not keeping or making a footprint of any kind. They don't keep records about themselves online or keep any of their business on paper. They are practically non-existent. It's what has kept them so damned elusive and impossible to track down and convict. Stratton changed all that. He started keeping records of transactions. He started keeping meticulous archives of everything, including names of members, particularly in the US, as well as names and ages of trafficking victims."

Fornell looked up at Gibbs. His face was pale. In fact, Gibbs thought he looked much older than he'd ever looked before.

"Did you know about Aimee Percy's tattoo?"

Fornell shook his head. "No, not until Sawyer contacted Adderley about finding it."

"Who's Adderley?"

"He's another FBI agent. He's been working undercover at the DCPD for the past few years. He's our eyes and ears in the police department. We need to have people strategically placed in as many places as possible in order to get the big picture on things. We didn't want local LEOS trying to take down MS-13 on their own."

Gibbs rolled his eyes. "That sounds like the FBI."

"This group is an enigma, Jethro. In all the years we've been working on this, we've never even got so much as a fingerprint."

Gibbs sighed again and stood to his feet. His butt was asleep from sitting on the edge of the desk. His mind flashed back to another conversation he had with someone named Adderley. He searched his head for why the name sounded so familiar to him. Adderley. Adderley.

"Adderley works for the DCPD?"

Fornell nodded.

Gibbs chewed his lip for a moment. "Ever heard of Serge Andrew?"

Fornell's face paled further.

Gibbs took a deep breath, preparing himself for the worse.

"Andrew was also an undercover FBI agent. He was working for Adderley."

Gibbs pinched his nose.

"None of this was supposed to happen, Jethro. We had everything under control. We couldn't have known that Stratton would flip his lid and go after Percy himself."

"Stratton dismembered a two-year-old child, Fornell!" Gibbs' anger bubbled up and erupted as he reached for the closest item from the table and pitched it across the room. "How long were you going to sit and watch Aimee and Janessa being abused before you stepped in and did something?"

Fornell licked his lips slowly. "You better sit down, Jethro. You're not going to like what I have to tell you."


	37. Chapter 37

Abby squinted, straining her eyes, as she peered up into the darkness searching for the drain plug. The amount of negligent rust and dirt somehow didn't surprise her. It wasn't like Gibbs wasn't able and capable to keep up with such menial tasks. She just knew the man didn't always think to place much priority on it. Abby readjusted her safety goggles and straightened the headlight on her forehead, forcing ill thoughts from her head and focusing on the job in front of her. She refused to grumble about the job because she was choosing to do it out the kindness of her heart. She wanted to help Gibbs. She felt useful when she could be helpful, especially now that she wasn't able to do her job at NCIS. And even more so now because of how much she had let the man down and basically screwed up her entire life.

"Abbs, what the heck are you doing under there?"

Abby startled, nearly smacking her head on the metal above her. She recognised the voice from above her but chose to ignore it anyway as she used her hand to brush off the dirt above her. She didn't feel like talking with anyone at the moment.

"Abbs?" The voice persisted.

Abby used the wrench in her hand to bang around feeling triumphant when she finally found the oil drain plug. Just as she fastened the wrench to the screw, she felt strong hands latch to her ankles and pull her out from under the car. She blinked as the direct sunlight hit her eyes.

"Timmy!" Abby sat up, annoyance written all over her face. "Why'd you do that? Can't you see that I'm changing the oil on Gibbs' car."

Tim glared at her. "Of course, I can see that. My question is why? And do you know where the girls are at this exact moment?"

Abby returned the glare, lay back down and started to roll back under the car. "In the treehouse."

Tim stopped her with his foot. "Abby, where is Gibbs?"

"NCIS."

Abby rolled harder until she felt the creeper bump overtop of Tim's foot and back under the car.

Tim grimaced and cried out in pain. "Ouch! Abby, stop that!" He reached out and pulled Abby out from under the car again.

Abby sat up again and sighed. "What's your problem, Timmy?"

"First of all, the girls are not in the treehouse. I just pulled them apart and sat them on a time out. Abby, they were having a food fight in the kitchen. Second of all, how did Gibbs get to NCIS if you have his car?" Tim placed his hands on his hips, looking exasperated. "You should be keeping a better eye on those two girls, not changing oil."

Abby stood up, feeling her heart rate increase and wiping her dirty hands on the blue coveralls she'd managed to dig up in Gibbs' garage. "Oh boy, did they make a big mess?"

"If you call dumping cereal and milk all over the floor a big mess, then yes!"

Abby groaned and started to rush towards the house, but Tim stopped her by gently grabbing her arm.

"Abby, you didn't answer my question."

Abby yanked herself away roughly. "What question?"

"How did Gibbs get to work if you have his car?"

"I brought his car home."

Tim looked confused. "How? Does Gibbs know?"

Abby pulled off her goggles and headlight, feeling annoyed by Tim's questions. "He didn't need to know. The oil hasn't been changed in his car since 1983. I was doing him a favour and plan to return his car before he even realises it's gone."

Tim shook his head deciding to give up his questioning. Abby tossed him an annoyed glance and continued walking towards the house. Once inside the kitchen, Abby gasped at the mess that assaulted her. Tim came in behind her and shut the door. Tears filled Abby's eyes as she took in the jumbled disorder of what used to be Gibbs' kitchen. One thing Abby knew about herself is that being a domestic engineer was not her strength at all. As much as she tried to keep abreast of things, the more she found herself being drawn to other things more captivating to her. Taking care of the girls, cooking, cleaning and all things that went with that was making her crazy and miserable.

"How do you expect to keep an eye on Nessie and Aimee if you're under Gibbs car, Abbs?" The scolding tone was evident.

Abby shook her head, blinking back tears and not wanting Tim to see how upset she was. She needed to keep herself together for Gibbs and for the girls. They needed her. Besides, Abby knew deep down that she more than owed Gibbs for letting her stay with him. She had messed up her life and she already felt like she had let Gibbs down enough. All she wanted to do was ease his burden and help make things run smoothly. She'd lost her life. Her dream job. She'd screwed up beyond repair. People had died because of her carelessness. The weight of that guilt was becoming paralyzing to her. Stuffing it down under hundreds of chores and responsibilities was supposed to help but instead, it just seemed to make everything catapult out of her control.

Squabbling in the other room alerted Abby to the fact that Aimee and Janessa still needed to be dealt with, and the kitchen still needed to be cleaned up as well. Abby was beginning to feel like she was drowning. Emotions began to wash over her in waves until sobs erupted from her. She put her hand over her mouth and tried to choke back the tears.

"Hey, Abby, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get so cross with you," said Tim, immediately looking remorseful and uncomfortable. "Please don't cry."

Sobs racked Abby's shoulders. So many feelings, memories, and emotions hit her all at once and she felt her legs go weak beneath her. Just as she thought she might fall, she felt Tim's strong arms wrap around her and pull her close.

"Abby, it's okay."

Abby shook her head. "N-no, it's not! It's never going to be okay ever again, Timmy."

Tim pulled her in close to his chest and held her tightly as she sobbed. As he held her, her head was flooded with so many rushing thoughts. All the poor decisions she'd made over the past few years came to the forefront of her mind, piercing her heart; everything hit her at once…every irresponsible little decision that had led her to where she was now. Starting with how she'd duped herself into trusting Fagan to be her friend. How much more stupid could she get? Then casually disregarding rules and regulations thinking she knew better. Cutting corners and breaking small procedures in the name of working at home, thinking it wouldn't matter and no one would know. Again, thinking she knew better than her superiors. All of the stupid carelessness decisions which lead up to the Percy family being murdered and endangering Janessa and Aimee's lives. Then the attempted rape: she could not even begin to deal with her emotions over that misery. And how did she cope? By pushing everyone away and making everyone think she was fine despite everything crumbling apart around and inside her.

Abby choked back a few more heart-wrenching sobs as Tim continued to hold her and try to offer some awkward comfort to her. Abby's heart clenched in her chest as the most painful thing of all registered in her mind. Gibbs. The man she loved like a father. The man she always wanted to be proud of her. As she saw his cobalt blue eyes in her mind, her heart ached so much she thought it would burst in her chest. She just knew that he didn't trust her anymore and maybe even hated her. The guilt and overwhelming despair just enveloped her like a dark curtain of fog, pulling her down so deep she didn't think she would be able to draw another breath.

"Abby, please, talk to me!"

Abby shook her head. She didn't want to talk to anyone. She just wanted to disappear and forget about life…forget about everything she'd done and hope everyone would forgive her.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Tony paced outside Jenny Shepard's office. His face was pale and his palms were sweaty. Gibbs had called him over a half hour ago to meet with him in MTAC but the man hadn't showed up. One of the other agents told him that Fornell and Gibbs were still held up in the director's office and the tensions were running past high to near murderous. It was no secret to most at NCIS that there was no love lost between the FBI agent and Gibbs. Tony raked a damp palm through his hair as he gave Cynthia, Jenny's secretary, a sympathetic glance. Most people thought Gibbs and Fornell hated each other, but Tony knew that it was a ruse. He knew Gibbs well enough to know that in actuality, Fornell and Gibbs were as close of friends as any two old coots could be. They had a lot on common, including an ex-wife. The two had a bond, albeit a very strange, oddly weird bond, but the two were friends all the same. The shouting and harsh words were very disconcerting, to say the least. Tony didn't like it one bit. Cynthia looked extremely uncomfortable and almost anxious.

"It's almost lunch. I don't think the director would mind if you took an extended lunch break, uh, I mean considering the mitigating circumstances."

Cynthia looked up at him and chewed her lip.

"I heard the director might not even make it in until later this afternoon," continued Tony, seeing the woman's growing discomfort.

Cynthia nodded still looking uncertain, but then grabbed her purse and left the room without a word.

Tony felt himself relax somewhat once the woman left the outer office area. He resumed his pacing feeling less inhibited. It had felt somewhat strange to continue worrying and pacing while he was being watched. Now he felt free to stomp his feet, grind his teeth and even groan a little without fear of someone thinking he'd lost his mind. Tony did stomp his foot and as added emphasis smacked his fist on the desk out of pure frustration.

"DiNozzo, would you cut that out and get your ass in here already!" shouted Gibbs.

Tony spun on his heel to see that Gibbs was standing at the door glaring at him. He immediately straightened up, adjusted his suit jacket and entered the room. A part of him felt like shielding his heinie as he scurried past Gibbs, but he stuffed the strange instinct down and turned to face the two men in the room. Fornell was sitting at the conference table sipping his coffee, his legs crossed looking much more relaxed than Tony imagined he'd be. Gibbs, on the other hand, looked fit to be tied. That surly expression made Tony's anxiety level jump several notches.

Fornell stood to his feet. "There isn't much else I can say, Gibbs-"

"The hell you can't, Fornell! You think you can drop a loaded bombshell like that in my lap and just waltz out of here unscathed?" Gibbs' voice was deadly low.

"It's never been up to me, Jethro. I'm sorry."

Fornell glanced at Tony and then back to Gibbs. Tony furrowed his brow trying to read the expression on the man's face, but he couldn't quite put it into words. The older man was calm yet his eyes looked disheartened. Almost like he'd given up hope, which is Tony's mind was next to impossible. Gibbs wasn't a quitter and in all the years Tony had known and worked for the man, Gibbs had never given up hope in anything or anyone.

Gibbs heaved a loud sigh and walked up to Fornell. Tony gasped in spite of himself, almost expecting Gibbs to hand the guy his teeth but instead, Gibbs held out his hand.

"I'm sorry too. Tell Emily that I haven't forgotten my promise to take her out for bubble gum ice cream."

Fornell shook Gibbs' outstretched hand with a small, strained smile. He nodded silently and left the room shutting the door quietly behind him.

Tony turned away and stared at the wall for a minute, pinching the bridge of his nose. He was at a loss for words in the moment. He'd spent the better part of a half hour pacing and listening to the two men angrily banter back and forth with one another. He hadn't expected the altercation to turn out amicably.

"How-" began Tony.

"Sit down, DiNozzo."

Tony sat. He watched Gibbs pace to the farthest part of the room, stop, place his hands on his hips and bend partially forward at the hips. Tony inhaled deeply not evening daring to know what was going on inside his boss's head.

"Boss?"

Gibbs shook his head.

Tony was silent.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Gibbs forced himself to breathe in through his nose and out through his mouth, slowly calming his heart rate down. He was thankful that hypertension did not run in his family because he was pretty confident that he would have had a coronary by now. He'd had the carpet pulled out from underneath him more times than he could count in his life and he felt certain this wouldn't be the last, however, this time, he'd allowed himself to get too personally involved.

"Damn it," he muttered.

"Boss?"

Gibbs closed his eyes and shook his head, hoping Tony would allow him a few more minutes to process his thoughts. From the corner of his eye, he could see that Tony was extremely on edge and feeling his uneasiness in his spirit as well. Finally, after almost biting clean through his bottom lip, Gibbs turned to face Tony with a grim expression on his face.

"What do you know about David Brody?"

Tony frowned. "FBI Brody?"

Gibbs nodded.

"Not too much to be honest. He's the director of the Bureau. He calls the shots in most cases. His reputation precedes him or so I've heard."

Gibbs walked slowly towards Tony with a pained expression on his face.

"I've only met the guy once in all my years at NCIS and that was before he made director. It wasn't a good experience."

Tony lifted a brow in interest but remained silent.

"He pulled rank on a case that was clearly NCIS and the director at the time bowed to it. Pissed me off to no end. After that, I refused to give the time of day to the bastard. If we have to work with the FBI, they send me Fornell. Him, I can stomach."

Tony bit back a smirk. "So what's Brody got to do with anything?"

"He's Aimee's father." There was no point in mincing words at this point. Gibbs cut straight to the chase.

Tony's brows disappeared into his hairline. "What?"

Gibbs walked to the end of the conference table and leaned on it with his hands facing Tony, his steel blue eyes shimmering in the light.

"Fornell's hands were tied; he had no jurisdiction to say anything. As much as I'd like to place the blame on him, I can't. He was away on vacation with his kid when everything blew up and he had no idea we had Aimee in our custody."

"Whoa, wait, Boss. I'm still stuck on Aimee being Brody's daughter? If he's FBI and in charge of this whole operation, then why the hell didn't he get his kid out a long time ago?"

"The million dollar question," muttered Gibbs, pounding his fists on the table.

Tony jumped in spite of himself.

"According to Fornell, Brody has been spearheading the trafficking ring for years even before he was appointed director. He's been the eyes and ears of the whole damned MS-13 situation for eons."

"That doesn't explain why he let his own kid be a target."

Gibbs felt the anger grow in his chest. "Son of a bitch has no attachment to Aimee. He left her mother before she was even born."

"He knew about her?

"He denies he did, but Fornell says he's full of it."

"That makes no sense. Aimee talks about her father like she knows him personally. She was freaking out wanting to be with Andrew because he promised to take her to her father."

"Andrew worked for Adderley and was getting his Intel from him."

"Adderley? Are we talking about the same guy here, Boss?"

Gibbs nodded. "One and the same. Frank Adderley. He's has been working undercover as the captain of the DCPD."

Tony's jaw dropped, muttering out loud more to himself than to Gibbs. "We've worked alongside that guy for years."

Gibbs huffed. "I know." Gibbs cursed under his breath. "Aimee was just a pawn. Brody wanted answers to bringing down the Cartel and the trafficking ring. Andrew was only given minute details regarding Aimee's father. He had no clue it was Brody. Fornell said the guy was already in over his head in other corruptions. It's been like some kind of crazy hierarchy thing where no one knew who was calling the shots or who the guy was above him"

"Let me guess: dirty cop blackmailing dirty cop blackmailing dirty cop?"

Gibbs grimaced, not wanting to get into too much detail. His temper was already bordering on murderous.

"Andrew wanted to get Aimee out but threats were made and he couldn't. He never lied to us. I was wrong about him. Aimee's instincts were right about him. He never wanted to see her hurt. Something tells me all her ideas about her birth father were created in her own head, more and likely a figment of her imagination based on Andrew's kindness."

"So anytime she talked about her father, it was more likely it was Andrew she was really talking about."

Gibbs nodded. "He was kind to her and spent a lot of time talking with her when things in her life were scary and out of control. Only when she came face to face with Andrew, it hit her square in the face that he was a stranger and she couldn't let herself trust him enough to go with him."

Tony sucked in a deep breath. "What kind of man uses his own kid as bait?"

Gibbs turned his back on Tony, clenching his fists so tightly they dug into his hands. He'd already asked himself that question a hundred times. What kind of man would use a child as bait? What kind of man would put a child's life in danger to bring down a crime ring of any kind? A man so steeped in evil and tyranny. So corrupt that he ceased being human. That was the type of man David Brody was. The very worst kind of man, devoid of all that is good and decent. Gibbs wanted to get his hands on the man and tear him to pieces.

"A deranged psychopath. He doesn't even see Aimee as his kid. He has no attachments to her at all, so that probably made it easier for him. It was all just money in his pocket in the end."

Tony remained quiet, taking in all the information.

"Andrew was killed because he threatened the status quo. He was unpredictable."

Tony furrowed his brow. "How do you know that?"

Gibbs turned to face Tony once again. "David Brody has ties to Stratton. Fornell has been working with people above Brody. They've been trying to bring him down for years. Brody and Stratton are MS-13's two biggest operators on the inside. Brody set up his ex-wife to meet Percy and has been orchestrating the whole deal from the get-go. He's been pulling the strings and manipulating everything piece by piece. What he didn't count on was Percy turning on him and keeping accurate records against him."

Tony scrubbed a hand over his face. "I'm not sure I knew there was anyone above Brody in the FBI." Then Tony's face paled as the knowledge sunk in. The director of the FBI was appointed by the President of the United States. The buck stopped there. Tony puffed out his cheeks as the realization hit him square in the gut.

Gibbs remained quiet as he watched Tony process what he was telling him. Gibbs was still reeling himself. When the whole case was dropped into his lap, he was barely aware that MS-13 existed beyond that of an irritating teenage gang. Now, he was aware of how insidious the group was and how deeply entrenched it was, even in _HIS_ day to day life. He'd brushed shoulders with members for years without any knowledge-right under his nose. Gibbs growled, feeling like he wanted to put his fist through the nearest wall.

"There is always someone above you, DiNozzo. Always someone else calling the shots," Gibbs muttered. "And just so you know, your instincts about Sawyer were correct. He was a good guy! He was the low man on the totem pole and being manipulated yet he still chose to help Aimee. His own kid was kidnapped and trafficked. They were holding her over his head. Sawyer's orders were to bring Aimee to Stratton. Stripping that tattoo from her saved her life and took her out of the equation. He saved her life in more ways than one."

Tony was silent for several moments as Gibbs' head continued spinning. Tony stood to his feet and began his own pacing, stopping at the window across the room. He stared out into the distance.

"We have the tattoo, right?"

Gibbs leaned on the conference table. "Tim found it in Sawyer's pocket."

"Can it still be read?" Tony turned to face Gibbs.

Gibbs shook his head. "Ducky says the skin has shriveled up too much."

"Damn. So much pain and anguish to that poor kid for no good reason whatsoever." Tony licked his lips. "What about Fagan? Where does he fit in? Why'd he go after Abby?"

Gibbs felt his blood pressure rise further. "Fornell doesn't know."

Tony strode across the room and stopped in front of Gibbs.

"So, what now?"

Gibbs dropped his hands to his sides and shrugged. "That's up to you, DiNozzo." Gibbs stood to his feet and walked towards the door. His heart was beating hard against his chest. There was no doubt he was angry. There was no doubt his head was screaming at him to stay and help Tony figure the rest of the case out. But he couldn't. He had to do right by Aimee and Janessa first. The girls needed him, as did Abby. And Abby's connection to everything was still vague.

"Boss?"

Gibbs stopped and faced Tony as he reached for the door handle.

"A little help here."

Gibbs stared at him. "You know where I live, DiNozzo and my door is always open. I'm happy to chew on this with you over bourbon in my basement anytime, but this case is yours. I'm needed elsewhere right now and I can't think of a better man for the job."

Gibbs managed an encouraging smile and left the room.


	38. Chapter 38

**A/N Just some fluff because I felt like it.**

Gibbs walked up his front walkway feeling less concerned about the whereabouts of his car than he had been outside the navy yard. He knew he was tired and recovering from injuries, but he didn't think he was so out of it that he would forget that he where he parked his car. Resigning himself to the fact that he truly had little recollection of where he'd left it, he decided a brisk walk home on beautiful, sunny afternoon wasn't so bad after all. The walk had given him time to clear his head and think about how he was going to proceed with getting the girls placed in a loving, stable home. He'd contacted Child and Social services and they had promised they'd send a social worker to his house within a week depending on caseloads. Gibbs hadn't felt the need to rush the process. If he was to be truly honest with himself, he would miss the girls once they were placed. They were a lot of work and he wasn't getting any younger, but they gave him a great deal of joy too. Taking time from NCIS wasn't something he'd ever planned to do but now as he reflected on it, he actually didn't mind so much. Tony was more than capable of handling things in his absence. Gibbs had lost his patience, and he sure as hell wasn't impartial to anything surrounding the case anymore.

Once he reached his front porch, he opened the door to hear shouting and arguing. He dropped his keys in the bowl on the inside side table and walked into his living room to see Aimee and Janessa jumping on his old, brown sofa. Gibbs cringed when he saw a spring poke through and expose itself to the floor. There was no doubt about it; the sofa had certainly seen better days. It was ugly and hideous but so incredibly comfortable and he hated to part with it.

"Hey! No jumping on furniture!" he scolded, reaching out and grabbing each girl around the waist and lifting them to the floor. The girls squealed indignantly and Janessa snatched something from Aimee's hands and hid it behind her back.

"Your sofa is bouncy, Gibbs." Aimee smirked at him and then tried to reach around Janessa to grab whatever she was holding.

"Stop it!" screeched Janessa, backing up and wiggling her body away to protect her belonging.

"Bouncy or not, sofas are for sitting, Miss."

Aimee wrinkled her nose. "Who cares? Your sofa is old and ugly." She persisted in trying to grab something from Janessa. Janessa swatted at her hand connecting with a harsh smack. Aimee scowled and stood rubbing her hand.

Gibbs sighed. "That's enough, Aimee. Ugly or not, I don't want you jumping on the furniture. Got it?" He shot her a stern look to which she rolled her eyes. "What are you two arguing about, anyway? Janessa, show me what's behind your back."

Janessa's face reddened and she shook her head.

Gibbs frowned. Aimee tried again to grab the object again but Gibbs stepped between them. This time he scooped Aimee up into his arms and plunked her in the nearby chair.

"Stop annoying your sister, Aims. Where's Abby?"

"Fighting with Tim in the kitchen."

"Abby's crying," added Janessa, her voice almost a whisper.

Gibbs lifted a brow in concern. What would have happened to make Abby upset enough to cry? Gibbs sighed. He couldn't help but notice Janessa continuing to back away towards the steps. Now he was curious. What did Janessa have that she didn't want him to see, and why was Aimee so determined to get it? He lifted the little girl up into his arms as he started towards the kitchen thinking whatever it was could wait until later. When he caught sight of the object, however, his heart skipped a beat. He scowled to himself and looked into her dark brown eyes.

"Is that my chisel?"

Janessa nodded as her eyes met his. Gibbs could see tears forming in her eyes as he set her feet on the floor and stooped to her level. It wasn't hard to distinguish that she knew she shouldn't have the chisel. He held out his hand. "Give it to me, please."

Janessa slowly placed the woodworking tool into his outstretched hand. Aimee walked over and stood beside him. "She got it from the basement." She put her arm around her sister. "What's a chisel?"

Gibbs fingered the tool and saw right away his suspicions were correct. It was one of his new chisels, and it was extremely sharp. "It's a woodworking tool that I use for smoothing out rough surfaces and cutting designs. It's very sharp and certainly not a toy!" Gibbs stuck the tool into his back pocket as he rose to his full height once again. He looked sternly at Janessa but his look softened when he saw her tremble under his scrutiny. His parenting skills were more than a little rusty these days. He wanted her to know that his basement was off limits but he didn't want to frighten her. He put his hands on his hips and looked at both girls.

Aimee pulled her sister into a protective hug. "Don't be mad."

"I've told you both more than once that the basement is off-limits. I have a lot of tools and other dangerous stuff down there that could hurt you. Let me make myself perfectly clear here and now so there are no doubts in your minds. You are never allowed downstairs without permission. If I catch either one of you down there, I will be forced to give you a consequence." Gibbs made a mental note to lock up any dangerous tools or chemicals just in case one of them chose to disregard his words at some other point. He'd feel awful if one of them were injured by some toxic chemical or power tool.

"You didn't catch us down there," piped up Aimee with a haughty expression gracing her face.

"Having the chisel is evidence enough to prove Janessa's guilt. Shall I dust for fingerprints?" Gibbs smirked. Aimee glared at him. "I'm a crime scene investor; it's my job to figure out the evidence and punish the wrongdoers.

Gibbs pulled the chisel out of his pocket and held it out towards Janessa. "Why did you take this?"

Janessa chewed her lip and shrugged. Gibbs looked at her and frowned.

"She wanted something to use in playdough," said Aimee.

Gibbs looked at Aimee who was holding fast to Janessa's hand. Janessa was quiet. He noticed that she often got that way when she thought she was in trouble.

"I'm speaking to Janessa, Aimee and I would like her to answer me. She's a big girl and she can speak for herself." Gibbs took Janessa by the hand and led her to the sofa once more. He sat down and pinned her between his knees. He held up the chisel again. "Why did you take my chisel?"

Tears rolled down her cheeks. His heart pinched in his chest. He actually had no idea what the small girl was thinking. Was she afraid he would punish her? He just wanted to understand what led her to take the item. He used his thumb to wipe away the tears.

"No need to cry, Ness, you're not in trouble but I'd really like to know."

Janessa blinked a few times. "I dunno." She said softly.

Gibbs smiled taking in what she was saying and what Aimee had said. Spending endless hours day after day in his house must have been beyond boring for the little girls. They could play in the treehouse, and they had a handful of games, puzzles, and books in their room but not really a lot of toys. He was actually surprised they hadn't gotten into more mischief. It was hardly their fault if they did seek out adventure and things to do. Keen minds needed to be busy. Gibbs reached out and pulled the small child onto his lap and hugged her. Aimee walked over and stood beside him so he pulled her onto his other knee as well. He was pleased when she didn't fight him. He was never sure how she would react to what he said and did.

"We need to have a little chat." He leaned back and settled the girls so he could see their faces. Janessa's tears slowed and she looked at him curiously. "I know it's been a crazy couple of months with everything that's happened. I want you to know that you're safety is very important to all of us. Tony is going to continue to work on the case while I take some time off to heal and spend time with you two monsters."

Janessa giggled. "I'm not a monster."

Gibbs kissed her nose. "You are the biggest monster of all, you chisel stealing thief."

Janessa scowled. "I didn't steal it, Mr. Gibbs; I borrowed it."

"Taking without asking is stealing."

"OH," she said, drawing out the word. "I didn't know that."

"Now, you do." He tapped her nose. "Ready to tell me why you took it?"

She shook her head.

"Ok," Gibbs smirked. He figured he'd let the subject drop for the time being. "So, Abby has been helping me take care of you-"

"Why was Timmy yelling at Abby?" interrupted Aimee.

Gibbs lifted a brow. "I don't know yet, but I'll go talk with them later when we're finished chatting."

"Maybe it's cuz we spilled milk on the floor," offered Janessa.

"I'm sure that's not it, Ness. Now, it's my turn to talk for a few minutes, ok?"

Aimee squirmed a little, pushing herself backward until she was sitting on the sofa.

"We spilled milk and cereal on the floor."

Gibbs chuckled out loud. "Just what have you two been up to while I've been gone?" He was beginning to think his thoughts were right on the money. The girls were bored and finding mischief all over. He needed to rethink how things were going to work until they were placed into a permanent home. "I'm thinking you two need some chores to keep you out of trouble."

Aimee made a face. "Chores?"

"Chores," repeated Gibbs. "Now stop interrupting and let me talk."

Aimee sighed and crossed her arms while Janessa nodded and laid her head against his chest.

"I think a chisel would make good designs," she mumbled.

Gibbs closed his eyes and had to swallow hard to stop himself from bursting out laughing. It struck him as funny how difficult it was to have a simple conversation with the girls. They were going around in circles.

"They do make excellent designs _in wood_."

"Playdough would work too, right?"

Gibbs pulled her in tighter, still working to suppress a smirk. "I'll get you some playdough chisels, okay?"

"Are they shiny like yours?"

Gibbs rolled his eyes. "Probably not; now, stop trying to change the subject."

Janessa giggled. "You said you wanted to know why I took your chisel."

"Yes, I did at that." He smirked. "Why did you?"

"I thought it would make pretty designs in play dough. When can I get some chisels?"

"Maybe we can go buy some this afternoon." Gibbs looked at Aimee who was still pouting over him giving her chores. "Are we finished talking about the chisel now?" Janessa nodded. "Okay, now, as I was saying-"

"Abby!"

Gibbs looked up to see a red-faced Abby burst into the room followed by a very frustrated looking Tim. Abby headed towards the stairs, stopping to face Tim.

"I don't want to talk about it! Leave me alone!" Abby's voice was loud and angry.

Gibbs shuffled Janessa to the cushion as he rose to his feet to intervene.

"You can't keep stuffing things down and hoping your feelings will go away, Abbs. You always do that, and it just makes things worse," reasoned Tim, looking at Gibbs sheepishly as the tone and intensity of his voice self-consciously decreased.

Abby threw her hands up in the air and let out a frustrated growl. "Leave me alone!"

Gibbs stepped forward and held up his hands in a truce. "What are you two arguing about?"

"Nothing!" Tim and Abby shouted in unison. Gibbs blinked several times in disbelief and saw Tim's face redden. It definitely wasn't like Tim to shout at him. With Abby, on the other hand, her outbursts weren't all that unusual.

Gibbs looked at the two wide-eyed girls still sitting on the sofa.

"Why don't you two go watch something on the TV in my room?"

Aimee stood to her feet. "On that old thing? I'd rather play outside in the treehouse."

Gibbs glared at her. The cheeky little thing had the ability to make his blood boil. Aimee grabbed Janessa's hand and pulled her towards the front foyer.

"Stay in the back yard. No wandering off," ordered Gibbs, his command terse. The last thing he needed was to have to go looking for them. "And don't take out the screens in the treehouse, Aims. I still haven't had a chance to fasten them tightly yet."

Other than an annoyed expression and rolling her eyes, Aimee didn't respond to his words. Gibbs heaved a weary sigh. He had a lot to teach her about respect, that was for sure.

"I mean it."

"Yah, yah, I hear you."

Aimee pulled Janessa from the room. Abby started to walk from the room as well but Gibbs caught her gently by the arm.

"What's the matter, Abby?"

Abby pulled away and lifted her arms into the air. "Just leave me alone!"

Gibbs dropped his arm and watched as she beelined to the stairs and disappeared.

Tim looked uncomfortable as Gibbs turned his attention towards him. Gibbs turned and went back to sit down, crossing his leg over his knee and leaning his head back against the sofa. He heard Tim shuffle towards the chair and sit down as well.

"Sorry, Boss."

Gibbs lifted his head. "Why are you sorry?"

Tim dropped his head, looking forlorn and somewhat unsure.

Gibbs chuckled. "Tim, one day you just might end up with an ulcer. Relax for Pete's sake and stop adopting everyone else's problems as your own."

If Gibbs only had a nickel for every time Abby blew up and Tim apologized, he'd be a wealthy man.

"What happened? Why is she so angry?"

"The girls did quite a job on the kitchen," began Tim.

"So they told me. I'm sure it can be cleaned up."

Tim nodded. "Abby was changing the oil on your car-'

"My car?" Gibbs' eyes widened as he released that he indeed wasn't crazy and he had driven his car to work. Leave it to Abby to do something like that. It actually didn't surprise him. Abby always found plenty to do to keep busy. He shook his head. "I thought I misplaced the damned thing," he muttered, more to himself than to Tim.

A smile graced Tim's face. "I found her under your car when I arrived and the girls were having a food fight in the kitchen. She thought they were in the treehouse. When Abby saw the mess, she just broke down into tears. Boss, something more is bothering her than she's letting on. Losing her job at NCIS-"

"She didn't lose her job, Tim. She's just waiting to be seen by the disciplinary committee. I would never allow her to lose her job over this. We don't waste good at NCIS, and Abby surpassed good when she was 18 years old."

Tim nodded his agreement. "She won't talk to me and when I push her…well, that's what I get."

Gibbs sat up. "An Abby sized tantrum." Gibbs was more than familiar. "Give her some time, Tim. I'm going to be around more often now that Tony is taking over the case. Let me deal with Abby."

Tim nodded and stood to his feet. "I'm heading back to NCIS. You got things under control here, Boss?"

Gibbs stood to his feet, playfully smacking Tim on the back of the head. Tim laughed. Gibbs walked Tim to the door and stopped at the foot of the stairs.

"Tell DiNozzo and David to get their asses here for dinner tonight. I'll throw some steaks on the BBQ. That case isn't going anywhere, and I'd rather we have some down time together."

Tim smiled. "Got it, Boss. Shall I invite the Director as well?" Mischief played in his eyes.

Gibbs grabbed a stuffed animal from the bottom step and flung it at Tim's head. Tim caught the animal in midair laughing warmheartedly.

"Get out of here, McGee!"

Tim continued laughing as he left the house. Gibbs laughed as well and he ascended the stairs shaking his head. His kids warmed his heart.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Once Gibbs reached the top of the stairs he wandered into his room and took a peek out his window. He smiled when he saw the girls happily laughing and playing in the treehouse. They seemed content enough for the time being. Gibbs leaned on the window sill as he continued to watch them laugh and giggle with one another. He shook his head thinking of the chisel discussion. He couldn't believe how much of a run around Janessa had put him on trying to ascertain why she'd taken the chisel. He chewed his bottom lip thoughtfully. He was going to need to force himself to get much more firm with the child. The more she felt at home with him, the more mischief she seemed to find. Typical five-year-old behaviour. Aimee pushed his buttons and Janessa managed to sneak around under his radar. The two of them both had the ability to make him laugh, boil his blood and drive him mad all at the same time. Yep, healthy kids.

Gibbs reached up and massaged his aching shoulder absentmindedly. Then there was Abby. She was a mystery to him. He had no idea how he was going to handle her. She wasn't a child. She was an intelligent, grown woman. It just seemed that lately, she acted more like a sullen child. He knew she was going through a lot and her emotions were all over the place. He appreciated how much of a help she was to him with the girls. He was more than a little aware of how much he needed her help. His parenting skills were so rusty they were almost non-existent unless you could count smacking Tony on the back of the head. And Gibbs did that when he was irritated with the man's behaviour. He couldn't help himself; it was just an instinct and Tony gave him more than one opportunity to exercise it. More than once, he found himself with an itchy palm around Abby as well but he was way too old fashioned a man to smack a woman on the back of the head. It felt wrong on so many levels yet he surprised himself when he did it to Ziva. Gibbs huffed at the memory. Perhaps the difference was that Ziva had pushed him so far that he broke. Abby had yet to push him that far. Although there had been a few times he wanted to pull her across his knee. That instinct surprised him even more. The thing was Abby reminded him more of a little girl. The impulsive way she acted and the way she dressed all played into messing with his mind.

Gibbs shrugged his shoulders and looked longingly at his bed. He felt bone tired and wouldn't have minded crawling into his bed for a long, well needed and deserved nap. His body was still healing and no one would have begrudged him the time to rest except he couldn't. He had two little girls and one big girl who depended on him. Gibbs yawned and walked towards Abby's room. He gently knocked on the door but received no response.

"Abby?"

No response.

"Abbs, I know you're in there. May I come in?"

He heard some shuffling around but received no response.

"Abby, you've got exactly 10 seconds to answer me or you better be decent because I'm coming in."

He put his ear to the door and heard her mumbling to herself but he still didn't get any reply to his words.

Gibbs knocked again and then tried the door handle. As he expected it was locked. A smile played on his lips as he walked to the side table in the hall and retrieved the small piece of wire he often needed to unlock the door. He'd locked himself out of that room more times than he could count so he had become an expert at picking the lock. He quickly jimmied the lock and opened the handle to be greeted by a scowling Abby sitting on her bed.

"Generally doors are locked for a reason," she grumbled and turned to face the wall.

Gibbs lifted a brow as he pulled a chair over and sat down.

"Generally. But this door has a bad habit of locking by itself. Didn't want you locked in here against your will, Abbs."

Abby huffed but refused to look at him.

"Thanks for changing the oil on my car." Gibbs waited for a response but saw none. "I enjoyed the walk home from the navy yard. It's a beautiful day." Abby crossed her arms. "Tim told me that the girls were giving you a hard time today. I'm sorry about that, Abbs. We'll all sit down and make some guidelines. That should help."

Abby growled.

Gibbs rested his hands on his knees and looked around the room. Abby was a unique person. She was the only one who could decorate with skulls and have it look joyful rather than morbid. He didn't know many Goths but he did know people often had false impressions of them. Simply put, Goths found beauty in things others considered dark. They loved all that was dark and mysterious. Abby found great joy in things others found disturbing. Gibbs figured that was one of the reasons Abby was so good at being a forensic scientist. Gibbs also knew that Goths weren't unkind, violent or lacking in humour, in fact, quite the opposite was true. Abby was probably one of the sweetest, most caring people he knew. Goths love to laugh. That was certainly true of Abby. Abby was the happiest person he knew. He couldn't even count how many times he'd found Abby dancing around her lab, happily singing to herself as she worked. He'd learned from Abby that Goths weren't sad because they liked dark things - dark things made them happy and inspired them. Who else better to be in forensics? Goths were often intelligent, romantic and artistic realists. Being Goth was not about how one dressed either, although, Abby definitely had a unique style all her own. Goths weren't evil people, part of some satanic cult. Most were involved, upstanding members of society. Abby was a devout Roman Catholic and had memberships to some many community outreach programs. Abby had taught Gibbs so much about stereotypes and how wrong they could be.

Abby sighed. "Are you just going to sit there staring at me?"

"Nope."

"Then, say something."

"What do you want me to say?"

Abby growled again. "Gibbs." Her voice was a frustrated whine.

"Abby."

Abby turned to face him, tears falling down her cheeks. She crossed her legs and arms and glared at him.

"I'm not cut out to be a homemaker."

"Then it's probably good thing you're a forensic scientist."

"You mean I was."

"No, I mean you are."

"Gibbs, I'm not a forensic scientist anymore."

"Did you give back your degree?"

Abby scowled at him. "Gibbs!"

"What?"

"Stop it!"

"Stop what?"

Abby reached out and swatted his knee.

Gibbs smirked. "Ouch."

"Stop teasing."

Gibbs leaned back in his chair and hit Abby with a piercing look. "I don't tease."

Abby sighed and growled again. "Yes, you do!"

Gibbs laughed. "Ok, I do. Abby, you are still a forensic scientist; one of the best NCIS had ever had. You made some stupid choices and you can't expect to not to be disciplined for them. Discipline does not mean fired. Jenny would never allow that to happen. Hell, the SecNav is perfectly smitten with you, kid. Do you think he'd let you leave NCIS just to go work for Brody at the Bureau or any of the other hundreds of places who covet you?"

Abby shrugged.

The smile faded from Gibbs' lips as he felt some exasperation build up in him. Abby was being more than a little difficult. "You listen up, Abbs. It's time to stop feeling sorry for yourself and suck up the fact that you can't do whatever you want whenever you want. There are rules for a reason, and you need to obey them just like everyone else."

"Since when do you listen to rules, Gibbs?" countered Abby.

Gibbs felt his temper rise. "Abbs, do you really want to go there?"

Abby chewed her lip. "No."

"Look, you might as well accept the fact that you are being disciplined. Accept the consequences for your poor decisions, apologise and promise never to repeat them. Once you do, you will be able to move on from here."

Tears filled Abby's eyes. "I can't."

"Can't what?"

"Move on."

"Why?"

Abby blinked hard and her bottom lip quivered. "People died, Gibbs."

"Yes, they did."

"It's my fault."

Gibbs stood up and sat beside her on the bed. Abby leaned into him.

"Abbs, remember when you were a teenager and you messed with some chemicals at school and people got sick?"

Abby nodded.

"How did you move on?"

Abby was quiet.

"Abbs?"

"It's not the same, Gibbs. No one died."

Gibbs wrapped his arm around her. "You felt you were correct to do what you did because the outcome justified the means, didn't you? You never anticipated what did happen. And, if I remember correctly, you denied what you did was wrong right up to the very end, did you not?"

Abby sighed. "Gibbs, I was 15 years old. I was hard headed and always thought I was right. My dad showed me otherwise. This situation isn't the same."

"Not sure much has changed, Abbs."

Abby groaned. "Huh? What do you mean?"

"You're still hard headed and think you're right."

Abby sat up and glared at him. "I do not! I feel horrible that people died."

"I know you do. Those people dying are not directly related to what you did. No one can say their deaths were your fault. You're taking that blame on yourself to hide the real issue, Abbs."

Abby's face reddened.

Gibbs set a warm hand on her knee. "Admit it. You don't think you did anything wrong, do you? Deep down, you think you were justified to work at home because what you were doing was more important than the protocols set up by NCIS. You believe you have the knowledge to set up firewalls and protect yourself against the outside world. You're angry and your pride is hurt but you still believe you were right."

Abby stood up and faced Gibbs in anger.

"That's not true!"

Gibbs rose to his feet. "Yes, it is." His voice was firm but quiet.

"Take it back!"

Gibbs shook his head. "How did your dad change your mind, Abby?"

Abby's jaw dropped. "I was 15 years old."

"I know. What did he do that changed your mind?"

Abby turned away and hugged herself. Gibbs heard her mumble something but he wasn't able to make out her words.

"Abby, until you admit what you did was wrong, you will never be able to accept the consequences and move on. The Percy's died a horrible death but their deaths were not your fault. Stratton already knew everything about Jonathan Percy. Percy made some disastrous choices that ended in his death. His wife was just an innocent pawn. Stop beating yourself up over what isn't your fault and face what is."

Abby shook her head. "I can't"

Gibbs walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. "Yes, you can. You're right; you're not 15 years old anymore. You don't need to be spanked to be taught the error of your ways."

Abby stiffened and gasped. "How did you know?"

Gibbs pulled away and turned her to face him. He could see the heat of embarrassment in her cheeks. "It's a dad thing."

Abby blushed and dropped her chin. "What if I can't?"

"Can't what?"

"Stop beating myself up."

Gibbs' face was deadpan. "You can, Abby. I have faith in you. Have faith in yourself. And you're not alone. You have Tim, Tony, and Ziva and you have me. You can count on me, Abbs. I'm not going anywhere. I'm willing to help you any way you need. Just say the word." Abby blinked allowing his words to sink in. "We need you, Abbs. Those girls need you. I'm not saying the next few weeks are going to be easy but we're going to get through this."

Abby stared at Gibbs.

Gibbs drew her into a warm embrace, kissing her on the top of the head.

"And, I need you to do me a favour, Abbs? Cut Tim some slack. The guy can only take so much."

Gibbs heard a small giggle. He put his hand on the back of her head and messed up her dark hair. When she pulled away, a small smile graced her lips and he noticed a tiny spark igniting in her eyes once more.

"It might be a little fun to get his goat."

Gibbs chuckled and shook his head. "C'mon, you little trouble maker. I invited the team back for a BBQ. I'm gonna need your help. Everyone knows I'm a horrible cook."

Abby smirked and they left her room arm in arm.


	39. Chapter 39

**A/N**

 **Thanks for the reviews and the inspiration to keep plugging away at the story.**

 **Spring has sprung FINALLY in my neck of the woods...had some wonderful sunny days this week. I'm tired of the rain! We have been swimming in too much ground water.**

 **Hope you enjoy :)**

Several weeks traveled by without much significance. Gibbs, Abby, and the girls settled into a routine of sorts. It was an oddball routine but a routine nonetheless. Gibbs utilised his time to do some much-needed repairs on his house; renovations that were desperately needed from when his house had been shot to pieces. Working with his hands—or one hand as his shoulder was still healing—gave him a great sense of peace and tranquility. Abby found ways to challenge her neural pathways which made her much easier to live with. Her ingenuity and gift of invention kept her mind busy as she waited for her disciplinary hearing. Gibbs was especially thankful to Tony who seemed to keep sneaking home forensics to her, thinking he wouldn't notice. Abby's light could often be seen on late at night while she ran forensics for Tony while she thought Gibb was blissfully asleep and unaware. Gibbs turned a blind eye to it and knew that Tony was doing his best to keep Abby in the loop and feeling useful. Nothing she was doing broke any protocols, and Gibbs made sure she didn't have access to anything that might allow her contact with Fagan, even if only accidently. His gut was still telling him that her dealings with Fagan weren't over.

Gibbs and Abby kept busy with day to day tasks and taking care of the girls and, often in the evening, after the girls went to bed, they would sit up and talk. Gibbs treasured those times. Abby had started to let down some of her walls and share her heart. She even agreed to attend some counseling sessions to get help in dealing with her emotions regarding the attempted rape. The time off she was turning out to be a time of healing that the young Goth desperately needed even if she denied it. Abby was slowly learning how to let go of her guilt and beginning to accept responsibility for her actions. It made Gibbs happy and proud of her all at the same time.

The day of the disciplinary hearing arrived without circumstance. Ziva and Jenny Shepard arrived early to escort Abby to the hearing and be there to support her come what may. Gibbs had it on good authority that Abby's job was not at risk. She was to be reprimanded, suspended for three months and put on probation for one year. Gibbs knew that Abby was going to be livid when she heard the decision, and he was sure he'd get an earful when she returned home, but a part of him was glad for the three-month suspension. It meant he could keep Abby safe with him; it also meant that Tony would have more time to implicate Fagan and put him away so Gibbs could finally sleep peacefully knowing Abby wasn't in any real danger any longer.

Gibbs wiped his hands on his paint cover coveralls as his mind turned back to what he was doing. He critically inspected his handiwork. He'd been painting the picture wall in his living room. Even after repairing the drywall, mudding, and sanding for hours, he could still see the faint holes in his walls. He really didn't relish replacing the drywall altogether. Dry walling was not his forte, and he was far too cheap to hire someone to do it for him.

"You gots paint on your nose, Mr. Gibbs."

Gibbs looked down at his miniature helper. "I'm not surprised since someone tried to paint my nose."

Janessa giggled. "You asked me to scratch your nose."

Gibbs tickled her sides gently. "Not with your paint brush, goofy."

Janessa screeched and tried to run away from him. He picked her up in the air and tossed her over his shoulder, swatting her backside playfully. Janessa kept squealing and giggling as he spun her around.

"Stop, I'm gonna barf!" She squealed.

Gibbs stopped and set her to her feet. Her face was red from being upside down, but she was still giggling all the same. She stooped down, picked up a paint brush from the floor and jabbed it towards him. Gibbs held out his hands in self-defense.

"Hey, don't you dare, you little turkey!"

Gibbs wrestled the paint brush from her hands and managed to get it away only for her to place both of her paint covered hands on his cheeks. He groaned and laughed at the same time. Janessa giggled on the verge of hysterics as he pulled her small hands off his face.

"You little stinker!"

Just then a knock was heard at the door. Gibbs turned just to see Aimee barge into the room and head for the door.

"I'll get it!" she called on the way by, not bothering to stop and look where she was going.

"Aimee! Watch out for the…" Just as he said the words, Aimee's foot landed in the paint tray, and she went skidding across the floor, landing on her backside with a thud. Paint splattered all over her and across the floor. Gibbs groaned. "…tray." He looked at her with sympathy on his face as he heard the doorbell ring again. "Just a second," he called out loud towards the door. "Don't move, Aims, I'll get something to clean off your foot; just need to get the door first. Hang tight, kiddo."

Aimee smirked and nodded her head. "Sorry, Gibbs."

"It's all good, Aims. Don't move."

Gibbs picked up Janessa to keep her from walking through the spilled paint and tracking it anywhere else. He walked towards the door and answered it. An attractive, auburn-haired woman stood staring back at him, blinking in surprise; he felt sure was it was because of his appearance.

"Hello; May I help you?" asked Gibbs when the woman seemed to be tongue-tied.

A hint of colour dusted the middle-aged woman's face. "Oh, yes, I'm sorry. Are you…" She looked down at the file in her hands. "Mr. Jethro Gibbs?"

Gibbs readjusted Janessa to his other hip. "Guilty as charged. And you are?"

The woman outstretched her hand and then awkwardly withdrew it when she realised Gibbs' hands were very much covered in paint. "My name is Lydia Parker. I'm from Child Protective Services. I've been assigned to Janessa and Aimee Percy's case."

Gibbs felt his heart plummet to his feet. He knew this day was coming, but he still didn't feel ready to face the fact that the girls needed to be placed in a permanent home.

"Hello, Mrs. Parker." Gibbs stepped away from the door and allowed the woman entrance into his front foyer. "Forgive the mess. I've been doing some renovating. Please come in while I rescue Aimee from a paint catastrophe." Gibbs kept a tight hold on Janessa and hurried back into the living room to see Aimee still sitting with her foot in the paint tray. Gibbs set Janessa on her feet with a warning to stay put and grabbed a rag from the ladder to attempt to wipe off Aimee's foot.

"I see you have some really great helpers, Mr. Gibbs."

Gibbs smiled. "I certainly do."

"Who's she?" asked Aimee, looking up at Mrs. Parker while Gibbs did his best to wipe off her foot. Gibbs pulled off her shoe and sock, scooped her up in his arms and away from the paint.

"Mrs. Parker."

"Miss," corrected Miss Parker. "But you can call me Lydia."

Gibbs acknowledged her words with a nod. "Lydia is here from Child Services."

Aimee's eyes opened in alarm and wriggled to get out of Gibbs grasp. "What does she want?"

Gibbs lifted a brow at the angry tone in Aimee's voice. "Watch your tone, Aims."

Lydia smiled kindly. "I'm here to help, honey. Do you know what a social worker is?"

Janessa jumped up and down in her spot and to her credit, she didn't move from the spot Gibbs had set her. "I know! I know!"

Gibbs laughed. "Enlighten us, Ness."

"A social worker is someone who plans ice cream socials. Abby and me are reading Little House on the Prairie, and Laura's ma is a social worker. Are we having an ice cream social, Mr. Gibbs?"

Aimee scowled. "Don't be dumb, Nessa. She's here to take us to live someplace else because Gibbs doesn't want us no more."

Gibbs felt his heart flutter in his chest. Just as he had been working so hard to foster a relationship of trust between them, he could see all that hard work crumbling in front of his own eyes.

Lydia smiled kindly. "I'm here to get to know you two girls and see if we can find your forever family."

Janessa walked through the paint on the floor and right to Gibbs. Her tiny footprints appeared on his wood floors. She grabbed onto his leg and held on tightly. "I don't wanna leave, Mr. Gibbs. Can't we stay here with you forever? I promise I'll be good. I won't even sneak downstairs no more to take your chisel even though it's more shiny than mine."

Gibbs shot her a surprised look. Apparently, his chisel was still a much-coveted item to her. He hoisted her up into his arms and planted a kiss on the side of her head.

"I guess I should have called first, Mr. Gibbs."

Gibbs nodded again not really know what to say in response. Janessa was clinging tightly to his neck, and Aimee was glaring daggers. It was certainly feeling rather uncomfortable. And he wished he had Abby or another one of his team there to help him offset the awkwardness of the situation.

"It's fine, Miss Parker. The girls were well aware that someone from social services was coming eventually."

Aimee plopped back onto the sofa with a groan and an unpleasant scowl taking root. "I hate it here anyway." She mumbled.

Lydia sat down in the chair and smiled kindly at Aimee.

"Now why would you say that, Sweetie? Mr. Gibbs seems like a very kind man."

Aimee scowled at her and then poked her tongue out at Gibbs. Gibbs rolled his eyes and gave her a look of warning; something Aimee had seen before and it caused her to look away with a pout.

"If you'll excuse me for a few minutes, I'll clean up myself and this little munchkin in the kitchen," said Gibbs, figuring it wasn't a bad thing to let the social worker get to know the girls. "That okay, Aims?"

Aimee shrugged her shoulders and glared at him. "Why should I care?"

"Be nice to Lydia."

Aimee rolled her eyes and huffed.

Gibbs sighed and carried Janessa into the kitchen, leaving Aimee and Lydia to talk.

Once in the kitchen, Gibbs set Janessa on the counter. He set to work trying to clean the paint off her face and hands and his own as well.

"Why can't we live with you, Mr. Gibbs?"

Gibbs scrubbed his hands and winked at her. "Do you need me to explain it again?" He said not unkindly.

"I guess not." She brushed her long hair out her face.

Gibbs inwardly groaned at his poor attempt at ponytails. He was rusty and always appreciated it when Abby did the honours. "I will if you need me to."

"No, it's ok." She chewed her bottom lip and looked at him sheepishly. "Are you mad at me for taking your chisel again?"

"I didn't know you took it again until just now."

"Oops." Janessa covered her mouth and her eyes grew wide.

Gibbs chuckled. "Ness, if I was twenty years younger and married, I would have jumped at the chance to adopt too great girls like you and Aimee. I've grown to love you both. But it would be selfish of me to keep you when I'm an old, grumpy guy and have no wife. You two deserve a mommy and a daddy to love you."

"I don't mind if you're old, Mr. Gibbs." She scooted closer and ran a hand through his gray hair. "And you're not grouchy all the time."

Gibbs dried his hands off and poked her in the nose. "Well, I'm glad to hear it." He pulled her in close for a hug. "Sometimes, you just need to trust that the adults know better, Ness. One day when you are all grown up, you'll look back and understand why this had to happen this way. Besides, just because you go live with a new family doesn't mean I won't come visit you."

"Abby, Tony and Ziva too?"

"You bet."

"What about Ducky and Jimmy?"

"I'm sure they will visit you too."

Janessa seemed to consider things quietly. "You know, Mr. Gibbs, you could always marry Jenny and then she could be the mommy and you could be the daddy. That way when you're grumpy, we could play with Jenny instead."

Gibbs smiled at Janessa's simplistic outlook of the world. "Director Shepard and I are just friends, Ness. Any more questions before I give you a consequence?"

Her eyes widened as Gibbs walked across the floor and set a chair in front of the microwave. He scooped her up and plunked her down on the chair.

"Do you remember what I said about the basement being off limits?"

Janessa's face visibly paled and she nodded.

"When did you take it?"

"This morning when you was talking to Jenny and Abby," she mumbled as she fiddled with her fingers and refused to make eye contact.

Gibbs groaned. He needed to have a more serious talk with Janessa about the dangers lurking in his basement, but he didn't have the energy to do it now.

"Five minutes, Ness. When the timer goes off, I want you to get it for me, okay?"

Janessa crossed her arms and harrumphed. "Okay."

Gibbs patted her head and started to walk towards the living room once again. Just as he rounded the corner he heard someone gasp and Aimee scream.

"Shut up!"

Gibbs hurried into the living room to see Lydia favouring her foot and Aimee attempting to high tail it from the room. Gibbs caught her with his weak arm without thinking and grimaced at the pain that shot up into his shoulder.

"Hey, that's no way to talk, Aims! What's going on?"

Aimee struggled to get free, further radiating pain up his arm. Gibbs wrapped his other arm around her waist and pulled her in close to help calm her down.

"Hey, settle down and tell me why you're so upset."

Lydia stood to her feet and appeared to be favouring her foot as she looked at him.

"I think something I said upset her, Mr. Gibbs."

Gibbs frowned and looked at Aimee as she struggled to free herself from his tight hold on her. "Aims, stop fighting to get away and tell me what's bothering you."

Aimee tried to shove his hand away. "She said me and Nessie won't live in the same house anymore. She's a liar, and I hate her!" Aimee looked at the social worker. "Get out of our house!"

"Aimee, that's not what I said at all," corrected Lydia, looking frustrated and surprised by Aimee's outburst.

"Shut-up!" screamed Aimee. She wiggled herself free of Gibbs, and Gibbs had to quickly grab her by the hand to prevent her from fleeing the room. Gibbs spun her around to face him.

"Look, I get that you're angry right now, but you may not speak like that. Calm down and let's discuss this."

"No!" Aimee's face was red and fire was burning in her eyes. "Lemme go!"

"Aimee," attempted Lydia again, trying to further explain herself. "You misunderstood me. I said there is a possibility that that might happen. I did not say it would happen for sure."

"Miss Parker, I already told your department that the girls are welcome to stay with me for as long as possible until a permanent home can be found for them together."

"I understand that, Mr. Gibbs, however sometimes it's in the best interest of the children to be placed separately for numerous reasons. I wanted to discuss this with you in private."

Aimee jerked herself free. "We'll run away, and you'll never find us ever again!" Aimee stamped towards Lydia again and brought her bare foot down on the woman's high heel, open toed shoe with as much force as she could muster. Lydia gasped once again and took Aimee roughly by the arm in an attempt to protect herself.

Gibbs felt his heart rate increase as Lydia's words sunk in. It hadn't even crossed his mind that this might be an issue for the girls. He thought for sure they would be placed together. Why on earth wouldn't it be in the best interest of siblings to be placed together? They were sisters, for Pete's sake. Gibbs took a step forward and scooped Aimee up into his arms as she kicked and punched at him. It wasn't usual for Aimee to pitch a fit when things spiraled out of her control. Gibbs was used to it, but he was concerned the social worker would not be so impressed with his ability to handle her childish temper tantrums.

"Lemme go! Lemme go!"

Gibbs carried her across the room to a wooden chair sitting in the corner and set her down firmly. He figured he might as well handle Aimee's outbursts like he always did and the social worker would just have to deal with it. His first priority was always to the girls. Gibbs leaned in close to her and held her hands tightly to prevent her from smacking him in the face which Aimee didn't hesitate to do when she was so upset. He'd learned that the hard way on several occasions.

"Count with me."

"NO!"

"One Mississippi, two Mississippi…"

Aimee struggled and kicked her feet. "Shut up!"

Gibbs used his knees to deflect her kicks and continued counting patiently and calmly.

"Three Mississippi…four Mississippi…"

"I hate you." Tears streamed down Aimee's cheeks but her voice lowered as Gibbs kept counting. Gibbs kept his voice low and soft as he continued to count to 10 then 15, then 20 and then 25. Aimee refused to look at him but her body stilled and her breathing slowed.

"Count with me," he said again.

"Twenty-six Mississippi…" Aimee softly joined him in counting as stray tears dripped into her mouth.

"Can I let go of your hands now?"

Aimee nodded.

Gibbs released her hands and stood up to his full height, feeling his back aching as well as his shoulder. Staying in that position was hard on him, but it usually calmed her down enough to sit for a time out. He picked up the timer beside the side table and set it for 15 minutes. He usually did a minute for each year, but he felt like Aimee needed some extra down time, and the truth was so, did he.

"15 minutes, Aims."

She opened her mouth to argue, but Gibbs placed his fingers on her lips. "Don't press your luck with me, Miss. You're about one back chat away from a swat to your backside." Aimee's mouth closed and she crossed her arms, spinning herself to face the corner.

Gibbs turned his attention back to see Lydia massaging her foot, looking more than a little indignant. He felt a bit sorry for the woman, but he couldn't help wondering why she'd try and have a conversation like that with a nine-year-old in the first place. He wasn't a professional by any means, but even he knew how sensitive a topic that could be with any child. Certainly, she must have known it would illicit a negative response.

"You should know, Mr. Gibbs, that you can't actually use corporal punishment on the children."

Gibbs pinched his nose. Federal bureaucratic bullcrap if he'd ever heard it.

"How's the foot?"

Lydia replaced her shoe and rose to her feet again. "It'll be fine, thanks. Is she usually so aggressively hostile?" Lydia looked at the folder she had brought with her. "There is no mention of this in the report I was given."

"She's been through hell and back," Gibbs hesitated as if remembering who was in his company. "She is coping as best as can be expected for a kid, don't you think?"

"Perhaps, but such violent outbursts require special handling, Mr. Gibbs, and I hope you can assure me that you have and never will raise a hand to her or her sister. Foster parents in Washington, D.C. are not allowed to use any type of physical discipline."

"I am not a foster parent."

Lydia's face reddened. "Sir, with all due respect, you have been acting as one-"

"They are in my protective custody. Nothing more, nothing less."

"It is the same thing, Mr. Gibbs." Her voice was insistent.

Gibbs heard the timer go off in the kitchen, and he figured Janessa would be on her way into the living room in another five minutes or so once she retrieved the infamous chisel she was so fond of. He could see Aimee's big ears listening into their conversation as well, and he felt like he was ready to end the visit.

"Is there anything in particular that brought you here today, Ma'am, or was it just an impromptu visit to check on the well-being of the girls?"

Lydia gave him a vexing look. And if Gibbs hadn't been feeling annoyed, he might have been impressed with her boldness. She dropped her arms and looked him straight in the eyes.

"As a matter of fact, there was. But now isn't the time to discuss it. I have seen and heard enough for today, Mr. Gibbs. I will be in touch for a more formal meeting with yourself and each child. I hadn't realised that Aimee needed such immediate intervention. I will be sure to double up my efforts to get them placed as soon as possible."

Gibbs sighed. He felt frustrated and upset that the first visit hadn't gone as well as he had envisioned.

"I think it would be best in the future if you called ahead."

"Impromptu visits are part of my job, Sir; I hope you can understand that."

Gibbs noticed a hummingbird feeding outside his front window and fixated on it while willing himself to calm down. He appreciated that the woman in his house was merely doing her job, but he couldn't help the anger that rumbled in his gut at how glibly callous she was regarding the girls being split up. He forced himself to count to 10 inaudibly before making eye contact with her once again.

"When should we expect another visit, Miss. Parker?"

Lydia forced a pleasant smile and picked up her notebook and folder. "Within the next few days." She started towards the front foyer stopping momentarily to say good-bye to Aimee. The child did not acknowledge the farewell. Once Lydia reached the front door, she stopped, spun on her heel and reached out her hand. Gibbs accepted it with a grim look on his face.

"Everything we do is in the best interest of the children, Mr. Gibbs."

Gibbs remained quiet but managed a friendly smile in return and opened his front door. Lydia left the house and he shut the door after her.

Before he had a chance to ponder things, the timer went off in the living room, and he returned to the room. Aimee spun around and looked at him with a sheepish expression settling on her face. He crooked his finger towards her and went to sit on the sofa. He shook his head, not even wanting to speculate how much paint he knew he'd have on it. He scanned the room briefly as he watched Aimee walked slowly towards him, her face downcast. He grimaced at the mess. Janessa's footprints still beckoned him, as well as splatters and huge streaks of white paint; all of it worked together to blatantly mar his wood floors. He knew it would come off but not without a great deal of elbow grease on his part. Miss Parker's visit has taken the wind out of his sails and suddenly he'd lost his steam to do much of anything. He just felt tired and weighed down.

Aimee, taking her own sweet time, came to stand in front of him, looking forlorn and maybe a tiny bit apologetic. Gibbs looked at her, attempting a stern look but never quite managed it.

He chuckled. "C'mon here, you rascal!" He drew her into a hug and held her there for several minutes. She melted into his embrace and heaved a loud sigh.

"I really hate her, Gibbs!"

"Hey, I don't want to hear you talking like that. Hate is a very ugly word, and I don't think you mean it. You can't hate someone you don't even know."

Aimee pulled away. "You heard her, Gibbs. She said-"

Gibbs placed a gentle finger to her lips. "Yes, I heard her, but blowing your top and being disrespectful to her isn't going to change things. You let me handle this, okay?"

Aimee chewed her lip as Gibbs pulled her to sit beside him. "But-"

"No butts. I want you to be polite and kind to Miss. Parker. No more being sassy and rude or maybe I will need to pull you over my knee for an attitude adjustment." Gibbs allowed the threat to linger in the air.

"You're not allowed!" Aimee's tone held a dare in it.

"Says who?"

"Miss Parker. I heard her say so. She said foster parents can't use physical discipline." Aimee looked at him with a cheeky smirk on her face.

Gibbs leaned back and rested his head on the back of the sofa. "You think that'd stop me?" He peeked at her from the corner of his eye. "I'm not allowed to smack Tony or Tim either but if they need it, they get it, don't they?" Gibbs had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing at the look at Aimee's face as she seemed to be pondering his words. He knew she'd seen him smack both of his team members on more than one occasion. He was an old-fashioned man and idiotic bureaucratic nonsense wouldn't ever be able to stop him from doing what he felt was right. It had gotten him to where he was in life, and he didn't plan to stop or alter how he did things now.

"Look, Aims. I'm not sure I like Miss Parker very much either. I know I don't like the idea of her coming in and trying to tell me how we should do things. However, I cannot allow you to be disrespectful and hurtful to her. Stomping on her foot wasn't necessary. You hurt her needlessly. Don't do that again or you will face some serious consequences from me. Got it?"

Aimee gulped and nodded.

"Good. Now, I can't make any promises but I'm gonna do my darndest to make sure you and Ness find a good home together. Can you trust me to do that for you?"

Aimee considered his words for several minutes and then nodded. "I guess."

Gibbs hugged her again. "I know this whole thing sucks big time, Aims. I love ya, kiddo."

He held her close, and she seemed to melt into his embrace as he heard footfalls on the steps. Gibbs and Aimee looked up to see Janessa enter the room. Gibbs' eyes widened and Aimee burst out laughing.

"Nessie, what did you do?" gasped Aimee between giggles.

Janessa walked into the room with a big wide smile on her face. She handed the chisel to Gibbs and stood smirking at him. Gibbs scratched his nose trying not to join Aimee in her belly laughing. Janessa's entire face was completely covered in Disney Princess Band-Aids. He could barely make out her nose and mouth for all the colorful stickers. Aimee moved beside Gibbs and continued laughing. Gibbs poked at Janessa's face gently with a smirk.

"What's on your face, kiddo?"

"Princess Band-Aids."

"I see that; why?" he dared to ask, almost afraid to know the answer.

"I cut myself shaving."

Gibbs' eyes widened as his mind quickly did a once over of the bathroom upstairs. Had he possibly left a razor in the shower? He didn't think so. He usually shaved in his own bathroom. He did remember using that washroom the night before when Abby was using the tub in his bathroom, but he didn't think he'd shaved in it.

"Where are you cut, honey? Did it bleed a lot?" Gibbs felt suddenly very concerned as he tried to see which of the Band-Aids might have been covering an actual cut.

Janessa giggled. "Not for real, Mr. Gibbs; Just for pretend."

Gibbs felt relief wash over him as he pulled the girl in closer to inspect the damage. He figured she had about 10 Band-Aids stuck to her tiny face. He didn't look forward to removing them. Janessa was about to learn a very important lesson about Band-Aids.

"Honey, do you remember when I pulled that Band-Aid off your knee last week?" Gibbs tried to peel a corner of one Band-Aid from Janessa's face, but it appeared to be stuck well. Aimee stopped laughing and her eyes opened wide in sudden understanding.

"Uh oh," Aimee said quietly.

"What?" said Janessa.

"You cried when I pulled the Band-Aid off your knee, Ness, and now I need to pull off 10 from your face. How do you think you're gonna feel about that?"

Janessa paled. "Nuh-uh. These can stay on, Mr. Gibbs. They're pretty and nothing is cut under them so you don't have to take them off never."

Gibbs smiled kindly. "Sorry, honey, they eventually have to come off. They can't stay on forever."

Janessa looked visibly upset. "Yes, they can!" She pulled away from Gibbs and ran from the room. Gibbs sighed and looked at Aimee who shrugged her shoulders.

"Want me to talk to her?"

Gibbs smirked at the serious look on Aimee's face. In that moment, he almost thought he had another adult in the room.

"Be my guest, Aims. But please don't attempt to take them off just yet. I think I'll soak her in the tub first and hope some of the stickiness lets go on its own."

Aimee saluted him with a grin. "Aye, Aye, Captain."

Gibbs laughed and pretended to boot her in the seat of the pants as she skipped from the room with an indignant squeal.

Once she left the room, Gibbs rested his head back once more and closed his eyes with a long, drawn out sigh. How many things could happen in one day? He used to think that being a federal agent was unpredictable. In some ways, parenting made his career feel like a predictable piece of cake. He took a quick glance at his watch and found that his mind turned to Abby and Jenny. It was nearly half past four, and they should have been home by then. Abby's hearing would have wrapped up about an hour ago, and Gibbs figured Jenny would have taken Abby somewhere to talk and decompress. He wondered how things went and how well Abby had taken the pronouncement. He didn't figure she was going to be happy, but he also knew that on some level she understood that she deserved it.

Gibbs rose to his feet and started to clean up some of the paint mess. He gathered paint brushes and the splattered tray and deposited them in the kitchen sink to soak. He hammered the lid on the paint and did his utmost best to tidy up the floors, eventually ending up on his knees scrubbing some of worst of it. He grimaced at the mess. It was going to take a lot of elbow grease to get it all off and rescue his hardwood floors. He continued to scrub at the paint as he heard the front door fly open, and Abby strode into the room looking irate.

"Did you know I'd be placed on probation for an entire year?" she demanded.

Abby tossed her belongings on the chair and put her hands on her hips angrily.

Gibbs rose to his feet and nodded towards Jenny who came in behind Abby looking equally fluttered.

"Hello, Abby; how was your day?" asked Gibbs, frowning at her accusatory tone.

Jenny's eyes opened wide as she took in the paint on the floor and on Gibb's face.

"Nice hand prints on your cheeks, Jethro." A smile played on her lips as Gibbs rolled his eyes in response. He'd forgotten about Janessa's handprints on his face.

Abby growled. "Did you know, Gibbs?"

Gibbs used the rag in his hands to scrub at his cheek absent-mindedly. "Abbs, I told you there would be consequences."

"Yes, but probation for a year? They already suspended me for three months! Isn't that enough punishment? This is mutiny!"

Gibbs smirked. "I don't think mutiny is the word you're looking for, Abbs!"

"Don't patronise me, Gibbs!" Abby growled and stalked from the room in a huff.

Jenny walked over and stood beside Gibbs and both of them stared at the empty space where Abby had been standing.

"Rough afternoon, Jenn?"

Jenny ran a hand through her long, auburn hair. "You could say that. You?"

Gibbs chuckled. "You could say that." They both looked at each other and broke out in laughter. "How about a beer, Jenn?"

"I thought you'd never ask."

The two of them walked towards the kitchen laughing.


	40. Chapter 40

Gibbs blinked several times as his eyes adjusted to the bright sunshine outside his car. It was such a breath of fresh air to see the sun so brilliant in the sky. It had been raining for almost a week and everyone in his house was gloomy. He'd been very glad to escape and grateful that Jenny had volunteered to watch the girls while he attended some meetings. As much as he enjoyed being at home and having some down time, he was getting a little bit stir crazy. He wasn't exactly someone who liked to sit around and have nothing to do. He'd managed to catch up on most of his renovations, clean his basement, securing it and making it a much safer area and even clocked many hours working on some woodworking projects. He'd decided to make a dollhouse for Janessa and a bookshelf for Aimee. He planned to give it to them as gifts to remember him by once they were placed in their new adoptive home. He was hoping the gifts might help them remember how much he loved and cared for them. Of course, the longer they were with him, the harder it was to think of them leaving. He had grown very fond of them.

"Boss?"

Gibbs spun around to see Tony walking up to him with a warm smile of greeting.

"DiNozzo." Gibbs returned the smile. It was good to see the man. He missed seeing the grinning goofball each day. Since he'd been on hiatus, he didn't see Tony, Tim, and Ziva as often as he would have liked.

"What brings you to NCIS? Checking up on me?"

Gibbs fell into step with Tony as they approached the main building.

"Nah, don't need to. I know I left things in capable hands." Tony's smile told Gibbs the praise was appreciated. "Any leads?"

"Not much," began Tony, the smiling melting away as he raked a hand through his dark brown hair.

"Something bothering ya, Tony?"

Tony sobered. "Yah, as a matter of fact, just about everything about this case bothers me, Boss."

Gibbs nodded his understanding. Only, he knew Tony meant a lot more than what he was thinking.

"Everything has stopped."

Gibbs frowned. "How do you mean stopped?"

"Just what I said. All the leads have dried up. All our Intel? Gone. MS-13 is an enigma normally; now, it's like they never existed. Fornell says the same for the Bureau, and they've been covering the group for longer than he even remembers. Sawyer's death was it. Every single lead we've had has either disappeared or faded out of existence."

"What about Stratton?"

"Gone without a trace. His business colleagues have no clue what happened to him. Stratton's firm filed for bankruptcy a few days ago. Apparently, Stratton had been pilfering cash and stocks into Swiss Accounts for a long time. Once Stratton removed his holdings, the company floundered. The guy had his fingers in just about every shady deal in D.C according to the Intel I have on the guy."

"Brody?"

"MIA."

Gibbs' eyebrows shot up. "The Director of the Federal Bureau is missing?" He almost felt like laughing at the very thought.

"I'm telling you no one knows where Brody is. They haven't seen hide or hair of the guy since Sawyer's body was uncovered."

Gibbs furrowed his brow as they entered the NCIS building and headed into the elevator. Tony followed him inside and Gibbs pressed the number of their floor without much thought.

"You're telling me the David Brody, who was appointed by the President of United States, is missing and no one knows where the hell he is?"

Tony heaved a loud sigh. "I know how it sounds, Boss-"

Gibbs huffed. "Cut to the punch line, DiNozzo, because this is the biggest…"

Tony reached out and hit the emergency stop button. He turned and faced Gibbs in the darkness of the elevator with a grim expression on his face. "We both know they wanted Sawyer found, right?" Gibbs' steely blue eyes met Tony's. "It was all carefully planned and executed, and as much as we think we can keep things like this classified, it leaks out. Whether it's us or the Bureau is still up in the air, but someone used it to orchestrate all this. Sawyer's death was instrumental in shutting down the whole American operation. Stratton is gone. Brody is gone. Fornell has been following this group for eons, Boss. These are some of the biggest key players."

Gibbs' eyes widened. "The tattoo."

"What?"

"That's the missing link."

Tony narrowed his eyes at Gibbs trying to ascertain what the man was saying.

"They think we have the tattoo. They've rolled up the sidewalks to hide until things blow over."

"But it's useless."

"I know that and you know that, but they don't. They tortured and killed Sawyer for it, but he gave them nothing. They're pissed off, scared of the repercussions and bidding their time until something surfaces."

"What does this mean for Aimee?"

Gibbs inhaled deeply. "I'm not entirely sure; but I think if they still thought Aimee had that tattoo, they've gotten their hands on her a long time ago. I think Sawyer did one hell of a job letting them know that Aimee wasn't any use to them anymore."

Tony nodded his head. "I hope you're right."

"Me too, but I'm not going to depend on hope. If we can accidently leak information, let's purposefully leak it as well."

"I'll get McGeek on it."

Gibbs smacked Tony upside the back of his head before reaching out and hitting start on the elevator again. "DiNozzo, being the team lead means you don't get to call your people names."

Tony smirked as he reached up to rub the back of his head. "Sure, Boss. I'll just smack him in the back of the head, instead."

Gibbs looked at Tony from the corner of his eye and smirked. Suddenly, Gibbs felt a little sorry for Tony. If the younger man even thought about head slapping Tim, Gibbs felt sure that Tim would deck him right back. The thought made his smile grow bigger. He wished he could be around to see that play out.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Gibbs stopped outside the briefing room and took a deep breath. He had made a promise to himself that he was going to keep his cool this time with Lydia Parker. This would be the third time they would meet regarding the placement of the girls. Gibbs didn't like the woman. He'd tried to give her the benefit of the doubt on more than one occasion, but he just couldn't get past how obstinate she was. People said he was a bastard; well, he was far too much of gentlemen to even place a label on what Lydia Parker was…other than a gigantic pain in his ass. He forced himself to breathe deeply as he straightened his suit jacket and willed himself the courage to face yet another meeting with the stubborn woman.

"Getting ready to enter the lion's den, Boss?"

Gibbs turned to see Tim round the corner and approach him with a warm smile. Gibbs returned the smile, glad to see the young man. Tim seemed to bring a breath of fresh air with him. The young man was a nervous ninny in most cases but his demeanor and presence always brought about a sort of peacefulness. He always appreciated when Tim came over to hang out with Abby and the girls. While Tim wasn't always able to handle Abby's outbursts, he always seemed to be able to be the voice of reason that even Abby couldn't deny.

"Feels like it. Miss Parker is a force to be reckoned with on the best of days, I'm sure."

Tim nodded. "I had a meeting with her yesterday, and I can't say I like her very much. She was asking some pretty personal questions."

Gibbs decided he would wander with Tim to the nearby sitting area on the landing. One thing he always appreciated about Tim was his good judge of character. While Gibbs usually prided himself on being a good judge, he felt like his discernment was skewed where the girls were concerned. The area was vacant of coffee drinkers so Gibbs and Tim took the time to sit down.

"You sure you got time to chat, Boss?"

"Let's see," Gibbs lifted his hands like he was weighing his options. "Talk to you or talk to the lioness? Seems like a no-brainer to me."

Tim laughed.

"What kind of questions was she asking you? Seems odd that she would ask personal ones being you hardly if ever spend time alone with the girls and everyone one of you have passed numerous security and vulnerable sector checks."

Tim shrugged. "She's nothing if she's not thorough, Boss. It does give me some peace of mind that she will be just as thorough with potential parents, don't you think?"

"True."

"Besides she wasn't asking that many questions about me personally-"

"Let me guess: she was pumping for information about me, right?"

Tim chewed his bottom lip hesitantly and nodded. "I'm not sure she likes you, Boss."

Gibbs chuckled. "Oh, I'm positive she can't stand me! I have definitely earned my B for bastard in her opinion; that is for damned sure." Tim rolled his eyes in response. "Jenny already warned me to tread carefully. Apparently, Miss Parker is not impressed with NCIS protocols regarding minor children. Specifically how agents are given protective custody of children in these delicate cases. She doesn't believe we should have any right to care for minor children even if their lives are in danger. She thinks we should have childcare workers come in and do the job for us."

Tim's eyes widened. "That's ridiculous. That would only endanger more lives and make things more complicated for us. The Navy takes care of its own. Always has and always will." Gibbs could hear the indignation in Tim's voice.

"The thing is because of the classification of these cases, Child Protective Services has no idea what we deal with on a day to day basis. Miss Parker is only trying to do what is best in her eyes. I can't fault her for that I guess." Gibbs rose to his feet deciding he shouldn't delay the inevitable any longer. "How are things going with Tony?" Gibbs searched Tim's face looking for the truth behind the words the young man was about to speak.

Tim half shrugged and tilted his head. "Not bad. I'm not sure he has quite figured out he's the lead though. He balances between being himself and trying to be you."

Gibbs laughed. "Give it some time."

"I will. Boss?"

"You are coming back, right?"

Gibbs straightened his suit jacket. "Yes, Tim, I'll be back. I just need to make sure Aimee and Janessa are okay first."

Tim nodded and stood to his feet as well. Gibbs started to walk away but then stopped and watched as Tim walked down the stairs and back to the bullpen. Tim sat down at his desk and was immediately accosted by spitballs from Tony. Gibbs shook his head and chuckled. It was times like that when he would sneak in from behind and smack Tony for his childish antics. Sometimes it was just an entertaining sport to catch the man in action, and most of the time Gibbs wasn't disappointed.

Gibbs puffed out his cheeks and forced himself to stand outside the conference room once again. He glanced at his watch and noticed he was sufficiently late for his appointment. He figured Miss Parker would be good and irate by now, just the way he liked her. It was his silent rebellion against her.

Gibbs knocked on the door and was greeted by a curt, "Enter." Gibbs opened the door to see Miss Parker sitting at the large conference table surrounded in paperwork.

"You're late, Mr. Gibbs."

Gibbs gave her a warm smile despite her cold greeting. "Yup," was all he said in return.

She scowled at him and pointed at a nearby chair. Gibbs sat down across from her and folded his hands.

"Very well, then, let's get started, shall we?" She opened several folders, brought out some paperwork and set it in front of Gibbs for his perusal.

Gibbs reached out and looked at several of forms. The forms were blurry without his glasses, and he didn't really care to go to the trouble to read each and every one. The last meeting he had with Miss Parker was just hours of signing, completing and reading paperwork. Gibbs gathered up the paper and handed it back to her.

"Enough paperwork. Let's cut to the chase here, Miss. Parker. Have you found any potential parents and if so, I want to meet them."

Lydia Parker looked up at Gibbs and peered at him over her glasses. She stared at him for several minutes and then her stare turned into an intense frown.

"I'm afraid that won't be happening at all, Mr. Gibbs. You do realise that you have absolutely no say on who adopts these girls, don't you?"

Gibbs frowned. He suspected that would be the case.

"You have no legal right to the children whatsoever, Mr. Gibbs. You are merely the holding facility. You were awarded Protective custody because of the laws that govern the Navy and NSIC. Outside of these walls, you have no legal rights."

Gibbs inhaled a deep breath trying to keep calm. "I may not have any rights that you deem legal but, in my books, possession is nine-tenths of the law."

Lydia removed her glasses incredulously. "Mr. Gibbs, we are not discussing the children as chattel, for goodness sakes. They are living, breathing human beings and the state is responsible for finding them good, loving homes. You are merely providing a service."

Gibbs felt his temper flare. He willed himself to stay calm. "You said it yourself, Miss Parker, I am acting, for all accounts, as a foster parent. That should give me some say in where the children are placed permanently."

She shook her head. "It doesn't. I am well within my rights to withdraw those girls from your home at any time. As far as I have been told, the girls are not in danger anymore. They do not need to be in your protective custody any longer. They are only there because it is prudent not to uproot them at this time."

Gibbs felt his back go up as Miss Parker continued to rattle on about her rights as the social services worker involved and his lack of rights as a holding facility. The longer she talked and tossed more paperwork his way, the more unsettled and angry he became. It wasn't how he thought things would go down.

"Let's cut the bureaucratic BS and get to the point," said Gibbs, anger more than apparent in his voice.

Lydia stood up and poured herself a cup of coffee and returned to the table. She pulled out a file that she had on the bottom of her pile and shoved it towards him.

"Janessa has been chosen to be adopted by Mark and Andrea Simmons. They have seen her file and are positively smitten with her. Who wouldn't be? She's perfectly delightful in every way. Janessa is young enough to adapt effortlessly and within several years will forget most of her past. The Simmons family is wonderful and Janessa will be adored by their older children."

Gibbs took the file and browsed it while his heart danced a wild tango in his chest.

Janessa.

His little Nessie monster was going to be taken from him. His little chisel stealing thief. His cuddler: the one who was so good at sneaking into his bed at 3 am with her cold little feet. The endearing giggler with her gap tooth smile who so affectionately called him Mr. Gibbs. His hands began shaking a little as he read the file briefly. He found he couldn't concentrate on what the file said as his heart felt like it was literally breaking inside his chest.

"Mr. Gibbs?" Gibbs looked up to see Lydia staring at him with concern on her face. It was the first time she had ever shown him any compassion since he met her. "Are you alright?"

Gibbs cleared his throat. "Is that how it works? Families chose kids from pictures and files without even meeting them?"

"No, not exactly. Janessa will have a chance to meet them as well. The Simmons will take her for a supervised visit with me and after that, they will take her on several outings. If all goes well, she will be placed with them for a weekend visit. If Janessa and the family seem like a good match, the Simmons could take temporary custody within the month. They have one full year to change their minds before the adoption becomes official."

Gibbs' mouth was dry. It all sounded way too neat and easy to him. Janessa loved everyone she met. She was just a friendly, happy-go-lucky kid. Janessa had seemed to be quite unscathed by the events that had marred her past. Her vivid imagination and creativity seemed to aid in her lighthearted personality. She always had a bright smile on her face for everyone, and she had a vivacious curiosity for the world around her. Gibbs had even noticed that she stopped talking about her mommy and baby sister, Sarah. He hadn't dared to mention it, but he wondered if she was beginning to forget them. Children seemed to have the ability to adapt to situations, and Janessa was flourishing with him and he wasn't even very good at parenting. He figured in the right home, under the right conditions, Janessa would grow to become just about anything her little heart desired.

"What about Aimee?"

Gibbs had slowly grown used to the idea that the girls would very likely be placed separately. Because David Brody was technically Aimee's biological father, no one could legally adopt her without his consent. The more they had looked into Aimee's past, the more complicated things had become. Jonathan Percy had not been able to adopt her either. Rebekah had forged records to hide Aimee's parentage from the Navy but with the murders and the investigations, everything had come to light. As long as Brody was missing and not able to give his permission, Aimee would stay a ward of the court and no one could adopt her. As much as he didn't like it, Gibbs had reluctantly agreed that it was in Janessa best interest to be adopted separately. She was still so very young and had a nice long life ahead of her. Not that his agreement meant anything anyway; Lydia Parker had made it abundantly clear on more than one occasion that Gibbs had very little to say in the matter.

Lydia pulled out another file and handed it to him with a grim expression on her face that Gibbs did not like at all. He opened the file and his jaw dropped at what he found inside. He looked up at her barely being able to contain the fury dancing in his eyes.

"No!" He tossed the file onto the desk and stood to his feet. "No damned way are you sending that little girl there. Forget it! Not on my watch!"

Lydia leaned against the desk as she took a long drink of coffee. "As I said before, Mr. Gibbs, you have no say in the matter. This is in the best interest of Aimee."

"How the hell is it in the best interest of a child to be sent to an institution for anger management? She's nine years old, for Pete's sake. She doesn't need a psychologist; she needs a father and a mother to love her. She's strong-willed and passionate. She's got a temper on her, yes, but it just needs to be reined in, not medicated."

"Mr. Gibbs, I have met with Aimee on several occasions and each time she has attempted to injure me or another of my colleagues. She is a bitter, resentful and out of control little girl. Frankly, I have no idea how to handle her day to day. I wouldn't dare place her in a foster home for fear she would become violent with other children."

Gibbs sighed. He couldn't argue. Aimee was all those things and probably more, but he could handle her. She respected him for the most part, and he didn't feel the need to get all crazy hands on with her to make her mind him. There were times that he thought if she were his daughter, he would haul her over his knee and paddle some sense into her but he found ways to handle things without doing that. Miss Parker had made it clear on more than one occasion that his gruff way was neither appropriate nor tolerated, not that it stopped him from issuing the odd warning swat to an errant child, adult or otherwise. Even Abby could attest to that. He was old-fashioned and it was the way he did things. He was too old to change now.

"I'll admit she is a handful, but sending her to an institution instead of a home with parents? Is that really the only answer you have? That's what they do to juvenile offenders, Miss Parker, and look how well that works. We end up breeding and grooming criminals."

Lydia nodded. For once since he met her, Gibbs felt like she wasn't undermining his opinion but actually agreeing with him. "I can't argue with you there, but without being able to legally adopt her, I just feel like this is the best idea. Aimee is a tough nut to crack, Mr. Gibbs. I don't want to see her caught up in an endless cycle of broken foster homes. It would produce an even worse outcome for Aimee. I think you know that."

Gibbs rubbed his forehead as he felt a tension headache growing in the front temporal region on his head.

"This is all idiocy!" Gibbs pounded his fist on the desk in frustration.

Lydia's eyes again flashed sympathy that Gibbs hadn't seen before. She ran a hand through her long auburn hair quietly as she sat down once again, having finished her coffee. She opened up more files and held them out to Gibbs. Gibbs took them and glanced at them with only half an eye.

"If Mr. Brody is found and if he is willing to give up his parental rights. Brock and Joyce Atkins have expressed an interest in Aimee. They are a very nice couple who have dealt with children with anger management difficulties. They are willing to consider fostering to adopt. However, they do not want to get involved if she is not available for adoption. As I'm sure you realise, it takes a great deal of emotional effort to deal with Aimee on a good day. Devoting oneself to that kind of emotional investment needs to have a payout in the end."

Gibbs felt his temper rise once again as he perused the folder. "She's not some kind of asset. She's a little girl, Miss Parker!"

Lydia smiled kindly. "I know she is." She looked up suddenly and seemed to be looking at him with new eyes. "I know this can't be easy for you, Mr. Gibbs. You have also invested quite a bit of yourself to these girls as well."

Gibbs tossed the folder to the desk and decided he'd had enough. He headed towards the door to leave.

"Mr. Gibbs, wait; I need to discuss visitations with you."

Gibbs turned to look at her and shook his head. "Look, today is Friday of a long weekend. Let's just let things alone until Tuesday. I will be in touch then, and then we will see what we can do in getting Janessa hooked up with the Simmon's family. I want to meet them first."

Lydia opened her mouth to argue, but Gibbs raised his hand to stop her.

"I know I have no rights; I get it. But those girls have been with me for a long time and as far as I'm concerned, I've earned the right to have some rights. I ask you to kindly respect that."

With those final words, Gibbs walked out and shut the door.


	41. Chapter 41

**A/N**

 **Thanks for all the reviews and the follows. I'm so glad you are enjoying the story.**

 **Just a reminder for those who may have forgotten...Aimee's friend, Andrew, is dead, but Gibbs never told her. He probably should have.**

 **Enjoy!**

Gibbs was very much lost in his thoughts as he clambered up the stairs of his back deck that led to his kitchen. He stopped to pick up a pink jacket from the steps and stood staring into his back yard. He could see a small blond head in the distance playing in the tree house. The head would pop up in front of the window and then disappear once more. He could see the Janessa's lips moving when she popped up into view. If he could have seen himself as he stared at the little girl, he might have been surprised to see the longing in his own eyes. He missed his own little girl, Kelly. He never stopped missing her—her voice, her sweet little girl giggle, everything about her. His heart never stopped aching to hold her in his arms but somehow, with Aimee and Janessa being with him, an old part of him had returned—that part of him that he thought had died with his precious daughter. Now when he held Aimee or Janessa in his arms, he felt that part of him return and he felt like himself; instead of the stranger he often saw in the mirror. He would never be able to describe it to another living soul. It was like a part of his soul had been returned to him. Gibbs shook his head, admonishing himself to quit the nonsense and trying to shake off the ridiculous thought process as he turned to enter the house.

Gibbs stopped short and a grin washed over his face. Jenny had her back to him and one glance around the kitchen told him that Jenny had lost a battle. The floor and table were covered in flour and footprints left the kitchen heading towards the front foyer and living room. Jenny was busy sweeping and muttering under her breath. Gibbs hung up his keys loud enough to cause Jenny to jump and face him.

"Geez, Jethro, you scared me half to death."

"Dusting for prints, Jenn?"

Jenny scowled at him. "Funny man."

Gibbs reached for the nearby dustpan and joined in the cleanup effort. "What happened?"

"That's what I would like to know. I left the kitchen for a few minutes and came back to this." Jenny waved her hand around the kitchen.

Gibbs stopped sweeping realising rather quickly that it was a lost cause. He sized up the footprints and quickly deduced the culprit.

"I saw the miscreant out in the treehouse. Want me to haul her in here for interrogation?"

Jenny smirked and sat down in the closest chair with a sigh. "Goodness, no! Having her help us clean up would be like inviting the blizzard inside. How do you do it, Jethro? God, I'm too old for this."

Gibbs laughed, taking a seat beside her. "Jenny, women your age are still having babies, for Pete's sake."

"Only the crazy ones!"

Gibbs and Jenny looked at one another and burst out laughing.

"Have any idea what Nessa was trying to accomplish by all this?"

Jenny shrugged. "No clue! When I left the kitchen, she said she was going to play in the treehouse. I swear I was gone no longer than five minutes."

Gibbs chuckled. "Just you wait, when I ask her what happened, she'll have a perfectly logical story. I think she's part magical fairy or something because I'm completely under her spell. I can't seem to stop myself from believing her every time."

Jenn reached out and good-naturedly punched him in the arm. "Getting soft in your olden days, Jethro?"

"Me? No way. I'm tough as nails." He grinned.

"Yah, you're about as tough as gummy nails."

"Do they even make those?" Gibbs snickered.

Jenny smirked as her eyes swept over the kitchen and her features sobered. "How on earth are we going to clean this up? It's literally dust."

"We? How did I get dragged into this?"

Jenny groaned. "Jethro!"

Gibbs held his hands up chuckling. "I'm kidding! Relax, Jenn." Gibbs stood up and pulled Jenny to her feet as well. "If I can get paint footprints off my hardwood floors, we can certainly vacuum and mop up flour. " Gibbs handed her the broom. "I'll go get the shop vac from of the basement. It'll make short order of this mess."

Jenny sighed and started sweeping again, and then almost as an afterthought, she turned and said, "How'd it go with the Dragon Lady?"

Gibbs headed towards the steps to the basement with an amused look on his face at her choice of words. "Dragon lady?"

Jenny's sharp green eyes sparkled. "Don't tell me you haven't thought of similar names for her, Jethro."

Gibbs had to bite his cheek to keep from listing the names he'd come up with for Lydia Parker, but instead he decided to have a little fun.

"Nah, nothing similar at all. She's rather fetching, as a matter of fact. Can't help but love that red hair and fiery personality. Kinda reminds me of you."

Jenny's mouth dropped open in indignation as she grabbed a sponge from the counter and fired it at his head. Gibbs laughed and ducked as the object went sailing past his head and landed with a splat onto the floor.

"Missed me!"

Jenny scowled at him and put her hands on her hips.

Gibbs disappeared down the stairs, chuckling at the expression on her face. With a smug look on his face, he took the steps two at a time searching for the shop vac. He just couldn't help himself. He enjoyed teasing her. He loved seeing the pink hue dust her cheeks and her eyes flash in anger and annoyance. She looked so damned sexy standing in his kitchen covered in flour. Of course, she looked damned sexy just about anywhere. He loved watching her reactions. It was no secret that a passionate fire still burned between them. It had been there ever since Paris and, despite the fact she broke things off with him years ago, Gibbs knew she was still attracted to him. Hell, he was still attracted to her. That kind of passion couldn't just be extinguished no matter how much time passed. It just continued to smolder, waiting to be reignited. The problem remained that things were complicated; he had rules that he lived by. And, in this case, Rule 12 screamed out to him: never date a co-worker. He'd made that rule because of Jenny in the first place. She'd really messed with his head back in the day. Now things were even more complicated because she wasn't even a co-worker, per se. For all intents and purposes, she was his boss. And despite what people thought, he didn't have a problem with that. He could have taken the director's desk 10 times over if he wanted it. He knew it and so did she. Jenny taking the position saved him the headache of being pressured into the role he so desperately despised. He would have quit first. Sitting behind a desk would kill him. He needed to be out in the thick of things, getting his hands dirty.

Gibbs grabbed the shop vac, mounted the steps and began dragging it up, feeling pleased with the fact that he'd managed to elicit another response from Jenny. He figured she would still be staring daggers at the doorway, waiting to lambaste him when he returned. He relished the confrontation. He was in the mood for a lot more of Jenny Shepard. As he approached the top of the landing, he heard a noise from under him. He stopped walking, furrowing his brow in curiosity and listened. Several more suspicious bangs and shuffles could be heard from directly beneath him. He gave the vacuum a shove to the top landing and retreated back down the stairs, sitting on the lower step. He sat quietly listening to the noises to be sure his ears weren't playing tricks on him. Either he had some very big mice in his basement or someone was shuffling around in his storage area under the steps. Gibbs cleared his voice loudly and immediately the noise ceased. He smirked and waited again.

"You might as well come out," he finally said.

No response.

"Aimee."

He could vaguely make out a frustrated groan before the little door under his stairs opened slowly and a blonde head poked out.

"Hi," she said with a sheepish look on her face.

"Hi, yourself."

Aimee crawled out of the cubby hole and stood to her feet, brushing off her blue jeans. Gibbs had to bite back a smirk when he saw her cute little dirt-smudged face peering at him with a guilty expression plastered all over it.

"Uh, I guess you're wondering what I'm doing down here."

"Yep."

Aimee fidgeted and her eyes went immediately to his work bench. Gibb's eyes followed hers, and he saw a broken jar of nails shattered. She chewed her lip and pulled out the hammer she had behind her back.

"I needed a hammer and a nail to hang my picture on the wall. When I unscrewed the jar, it was really stuck tight so I yanked on it. It flew off and broke. M'sorry, Gibbs. I didn't mean for it to break."

Gibbs noticed her fist was wrapped around something and he held out his hand, nodding at her to show him what she was holding. Aimee opened her hand to reveal a rather large common nail; something he might have used for securing a wood structure or framing it.

"Planning to hang an elephant?"

Aimee looked at the nail. "It is kinda big, huh?"

"Just a little." Gibbs stood up and walked over to his workbench and unscrewed another jar that contained picture hooks. He held one up so Aimee could see it.

"Think maybe something like this might work better?"

Aimee lifted a brow, smiled and nodded. "Yah, that's perfect!"

Gibbs held it in his hand for a few moments, staring at her intensely before handing it to her.

"You mad?" She said taking the hook and dropping it in her pocket.

"Nope." Gibbs continued to stare at her, his face deadpan.

Aimee fidgeted under the scrutiny and sucked in her bottom lip. She suddenly found her shoes very interesting as she kicked at invisible specks on the floor.

"You gonna say something?"

"What do you want me to say?"

"How should I know?" Aimee fidgeted more. "I'm sorry." She looked up at him, her puppy dog eyes making his heart melt.

Gibbs crossed his arms. "Yah, you said that already, but it doesn't explain why you came down here without permission. Did ya think I'd say no?"

"You weren't home."

"Could it have waited?"

"I guess so."

Gibbs took a dustpan and whisk that was hanging above his workbench and proceeded to carefully clean up the glass, picking out the nails. He deposited the glass fragments into the trash bin, setting the whisk back on the bench. It would need to be vacuumed later to be sure he got all the smaller shards of glass. Gibbs' mind began to swim in many different directions. He wanted to tread carefully when handling Aimee. It didn't take much to set her off lately and send her into a fit of anger. While he knew he needed to give guidelines for her safety and well-being, he wanted to do what he could to prevent that hostility from rising in her.

"I told ya before that I'd need to give ya a consequence, Aims."

Aimee's eyes widened at his words and she took a few steps away from him.

"What kind of consequence?"

Gibbs scratched his head thoughtfully. "Well, you see, I don't have an answer to that right now. I thought you'd respect me on this so I didn't give much thought about what I'd do if you didn't."

Aimee licked her bottom lip but still managed to keep eye contact with Gibbs.

"Regardless what you might think, this basement is my workshop. I use power tools to build things and I sometimes use dangerous chemicals like paint thinner and furniture stripper. It's all very unsafe for children to be around without supervision. Do you understand what I'm telling you?"

Aimee nodded. Gibbs cupped her chin with his hand and peered into her eyes with an intense look. "Is there anything you want to say to me other than you're sorry?"

"I didn't touch anything, Gibbs. Honest. I promise I didn't; I just got a nail."

"I believe ya, Aims, but you still deliberately disobeyed me. I don't have a lot of rules but disobeying is biggie in my books."

Gibbs watched Aimee carefully for her reaction to his words. She dropped her shoulders but then pulled her face away. Gibbs noticed the telltale sign of rebellion in her eyes this time. She reached into her pocket, took out the picture hook and angrily threw it at his feet.

"Take your stupid hook, I don't need it anyways."

Gibbs put his hands on his hips. "I think it would be a good idea for you to go sit on your bed for a while and think about things. I'll come up in a little bit and we'll have a chat together, okay?" His voice was soft but held a firm tone to it.

Aimee's eyes shrouded darkly. Gibbs knew that somewhere along the line, he'd screwed things up. Each time he had a confrontation with Aimee, he strived to do things a little differently, hoping he would be successful in not setting her off. So far, he'd failed every time. It was always a careful balance for him, figuring out what kind of force he needed in any one circumstance.

"No! I don't want to!" Her nostrils flared and her breathing increased as she clenched her fists.

Gibbs looked up at the ceiling and counted to ten in his head. One part of him was telling him to pick her up and carry her to her room while the other part of him was saying to just calmly walk away. He quickly weighed his options considering what Aimee's reactions might be. She was asking for an altercation and more times than not, things got nasty fast. Out of all the ways he'd tried to calm her down, he was rarely successful. Usually, he ended up having to physically restrain her, and he feared he would bruise her just from her fighting back against him so fiercely. He didn't want things to escalate any further. He took a quick gander around the room convincing himself that he'd done a good enough job at making sure things were safe and secure. He already knew that Janessa had sticky fingers when it came to his chisel. She'd decided that any consequence given by him was worth it. The chisel was just too hard to resist. Gibbs had finally locked up all his tools in cabinets. His next step was to put a lock on the door to the basement. It looked like his only option to prevent any further temptation.

Gibbs walked to the foot of the steps. "Fine. I'm going upstairs to finish helping Director Shepard. When I'm finished, I will be looking to have a discussion with you in your room." With those final words, Gibbs ascended the steps and left Aimee alone to decide her next move.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Jenny had managed to sweep up a good deal of the flour and was using the swifter to dust the wood floors when Gibbs brought up shop vac. Gibbs was happy to see that she hadn't given much thought to his silly remark regarding Lydia Parker. He knew she knew him well enough to know that he was teasing her. He hadn't intended however to let the joke simmer as long, but Aimee's appearance in the basement had taken him off guard. Gibbs quickly went to work sucking up the fine dust; within twenty minutes or so, the kitchen began to look like they might have survived the battle after all. Part way through the job, Gibbs caught movement out of the corner of his eye and he saw Aimee scurry into the room, towards the foyer, and up the stairs. He sighed in relief feeling like maybe, just maybe, he might have handled one situation with her correctly, but he didn't dare congratulate himself just yet.

Jenny poured herself a glass of water from the tap, leaned against the counter and took a long drink.

"Now, I'm ready to deal with that little monster," she said.

Gibbs smiled. "Good luck with that. You're just asking to be put under her spell." Gibbs reached for Jenny's glass of water, yanking it from her hand and finishing the rest in one gulp.

"Hey!"

"You could have offered me a glass."

"You don't deserve it, Romeo, "she said sardonically.

Gibbs rolled his eyes and groaned. He deserved it; he could admit that.

Jenny suddenly gave him a playful shove and turned to pour up another glass of water. Gibbs took the opportunity to reach around her, cup his hands in the water and splash it on her face.

Jenny screeched, spun around and tossed the glass of cold water in Gibb's face. "There's your glass of water, Mister!"

Gibbs blinked in shock and burst out laughing.

Also laughing, Jenny swiped the water from her face with one hand while reaching for a tea towel with the other. She dried her face while Gibbs stood laughing and dripping water onto the floor.

"You haven't changed one iota, Jennifer Shepard. You're still a brat!"

"Me? I'll have you know that YOU started it, Leroy Jethro Gibbs. I merely ended it like a good director should." She tossed the towel at him. Gibbs caught it, dried his face and dabbed at his t-shirt, still chuckling.

Jenny poured two glasses of water and set them on the table.

Gibbs sat down.

"I hate you," Jenny said, glaring at him through a half smirk, brushing her hand through her wet hair.

"No, you don't."

"Yes, I do."

Jenny sat down as well and leaned on her hands, staring at him. "So, are you going to be serious and tell me about what happened with the social worker today?"

Gibbs sobered. Just forcing himself to reflect for even a moment on the reality of everything made his heart ache.

"Both girls have families that are interested in them."

Jenny perked up. "Jethro, that's fantastic! Why are you so glum about that?"

"I dunno, Jenn. It just doesn't sit well with me that they're going to be separated. It bugs the hell outta me, and it's all Brody's fault because the guy still has custody rights."

Jenn looked puzzled. "How can that be?"

"Miss Parker said he never gave up his parental rights. Rebekah Percy gave birth and put his name on the birth certificate as the father. All that crap about him not knowing about her is bogus. He knew then and he knows now, wherever the hell he is. Aimee can't be adopted by anyone until he gives up his rights."

"So where does that leave her?"

Gibbs ran a hand through his wet hair. "Placed in another holding facility. Miss Parker wants her placed in an anger management center."

"Oh, no! Why can't she just stay with you then? Sending her to an institution isn't going to help that little girl. She needs people around who love her!"

Gibbs felt like Jenny had smacked him in the face. He stood to his feet and walked towards the back door with a loud sigh. Facing the door, he stared out into his backyard, feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders.

"Jethro? What's the matter?"

"You know I can't keep her, Jenn. You saying that just rips my guts out."

Jenny walked over to him and wrapped her arms around him from behind.

"Oh, Jethro, I know the thought of giving those girls up tears you apart. All of us can see how much you love them. It's not hard to tell that they adore you as well. My question is why you think you have to give them up?"

Gibbs pushed her arms away, suddenly feeling angry. He thought she of all people would understand why he had to let them go. He wasn't in the position to be a father. She knew it as well as he did. His life was a dangerous one. He'd seen agents with wives and kids be crushed to pieces from the job. An agent's life was precarious at best. The hours were long and the job arduous. There was no way in hell he'd be able to be a good father to the girls. He could barely take care of himself most days.

"I hate the thought of them being separated, and I can't bear the idea of Aimee being placed in some gawdawful institution where no one gives a damned about her. It rips my heart out, Jenn!" His voice was loud and venomous. He saw Jenny's head jerk backward at his tone. He felt apologetic but he couldn't stop the emotion from erupting.

Jenny tucked her hair behind her ear. "Then keep them!"

Gibbs growled and threw his hands up in the air. "Damn it, Jenn! You know I can't! If you think it's so easy then you keep them!"

Jenny's mouth dropped open as she stared at him incredulously. "Maybe I will!" She crossed her arms suddenly understanding Gibbs' dilemma. It really wasn't as simple as it seemed. Right now, Abby was able to help Gibbs and the rest of the team took turns helping as well, but would they be able to do that forever? Eventually, Abby would return to her lab and Gibbs would be well enough to go back to work. He would be working long hours as team lead. Was it feasible? Was it in the best interest of the girls?

Gibbs hung his head and leaned against the door. He felt like his world was crumbling down around him. He felt like everything was spinning out of his control, and he just didn't know what to do to stop it.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Abby inputted the results into her computer and rested her chin in her hands as she waited. Tony had sneaked over more forensics for her to figure out. Little did he know—or Gibbs, for that matter—that she had been able to link her computer directly to the NCIS forensics database. It was easier for her to make use of Major Mass Speck than to try and figure things out on her own, not that she wasn't perfectly capable of doing it on her own; she was, but it just made life a lot simpler and the science was more reliable and thorough. Abby did not want Gibbs to discover that she'd broken through his carefully laid out firewalls though so she was careful to never log on unless he was asleep or away. Gibbs meetings with Lydia Parker had afforded Abby plenty of time to work undetected. It was even more perfect because Jenny was able to watch the girls allowing Abby even more time to fiddle around with her data. She knew Gibbs wouldn't be happy with her tinkering around the firewalls but she had learned from her mistakes. She had set up security measures that made Fort Knox look like it had open access.

The computer chunked away while Abby sipped absentmindedly on a Caf-Pow Jenny had so kindly brought her. The sweet caffeinated drink filled her senses with delight, so much so that she actually felt herself humming. It surprised her because ever since the discipline hearing, Abby had been insufferably angry. Almost as much as when she was 15 and she had been suspended from school. To this day she still carried bitter resentment over the whole thing and still thought she hadn't deserved to be treated so callously. Abby scowled as she remembered the past. Shaking her head, she decided to sweep away the emotions. It wouldn't do her any good to dwell on the past. An annoying beep on her computer drew her attention to a flashing icon in the corner. She frowned as she looked at it. Her eyes widened in complete surprise. She stood up and checked to make sure her door was adequately fastened shut to be sure she wouldn't have any unexpected intruders. She clicked on the flashing icon and just stood gaping at what she saw. It was impossible. There was no way that it could happen yet there it was staring her in the face. She took a deep breath and forced herself to read the text on the screen.

 _Abby, you've got to help me! They're going to kill me! Please! I know I don't deserve it but you are the only one I trust._

Abby blinked. She hurriedly checked all her security and set up blockades to stop the incoming messages. How did he break through? It was impossible. Her security was the same as the president would use. There was no way anyone could break it.

 _I know you're there, Abby. I know you think I can't see that you are reading this, but I can. C'mon, answer me! I've been working hard to break through your security. You're good, Abby! You always have been! You are the only one who can help me._

Abby pressed her top teeth into the fleshy part of her lip. She was unable to tear her eyes away from the screen. How did he do it? How?

 _Stratton is going to kill me. Please, if you ever felt anything for me at all, please help me!_

Abby sucked in a deep breath. There had been a time when she had loved Fagan. She had been young, and it was her first year in University. She was lonely and afraid to be on her own for the first time. She was different and people didn't understand her. They didn't understand Goths. Fagan did. He was kind to her. He had befriended her and they shared so many interests. She had felt something. But now? He had led her on for years and she thought they were friends. She had trusted him and confided in him. She had told him things she'd never told another soul. She thought he cared for her. All he did was use her for information. He stole classified military information.

Abby licked her lips and her hands shook as she reached for the keyboard to type. Her mind was screaming at her to stop…to tell Gibbs…to confess that she'd broken her promise to him. She clenched her hands into fists as tears tumbled down her cheeks.

 _Look, I know I betrayed your trust. I know that. I can't even begin to make that up to you. I know that NCIS put you probation and it's my fault. I can't undo that. I stole from you. You have every right to hate me._

"I do hate you," muttered Abby out loud. Her voice quivered. Everything in her was screaming at her to tell Gibbs. To get help. Gibbs would know what to do. Abby stood up and went to pull the plug from the wall. It was the right thing to do.

 _Stratton is after that little girl, Abby! He's going to kill her too. He wants the information that NCIS has from Percy's tattoo. He's not going to rest until he gets it. Please! You've got to believe me! I can't hide forever, and Stratton means business. He has contacts everywhere including the Bureau. Damn it, Abby! I know you can see this. Answer me!_

Abby felt her blood run cold; she stood staring at the screen in complete disbelief. Her hand went over her mouth in horror. Aimee. Stratton was going to kill Aimee. And Fagan was texting her on her computer that she was using behind Gibbs' back. She had broken firewalls and broken encryptions to do forensics, and Fagan had found her.

Abby sat down at her desk, her whole body quivering.

 _Fagan, I'm here…_

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Aimee pushed the door to Gibbs bedroom open and wandered inside. She knew she probably shouldn't be in his room without permission but she didn't care. She crawled up in his large king size bed and lay across it. She didn't know why she felt so angry with him, but she was. Lately, she'd felt angry a lot and she wanted to have a fight with anyone would fight back. Trouble was no one was willing to take her up on it. She was most angry with Gibbs and she didn't know why. He was a really nice man, and he was good to her. But Aimee felt so sad inside, and it was such a big sad…it felt like it was swallowing her alive. She was hoping someone would be able to help take the sad away. When she got angry, it took that pain of the sad away. For a few minutes, at least. For a few moments, she could breathe again. The mad made her feel like she had some control. She could predict what others would do. The social services woman would get flustered and write notes in her book. Abby would get cross at her and sometimes get into the boxing ring with her. During those times, Aimee felt empowered. It felt good to make other people take her sadness and adopt it as their own. The angrier she became, the further the sadness slipped away. That was a good thing in her opinion.

Gibbs didn't play into her game as well. She couldn't figure him out. Each time she launched her mad at him, he deflected it. He found another way to dodge it, and he didn't get mad back. It was making Aimee furious that she couldn't get a reaction from him. And every time she couldn't predict how he would react. This time he sent her to sit on her bed in her room as if she was going to obey him. He had to be insane to think she would listen to him. What was there to talk about anyway? He couldn't tell her what to do. He wasn't her dad. She didn't even know where her dad was anymore. Andrew had promised to bring her to her dad but then he lied to her. Andrew. She hadn't thought of him since the last time she'd seen him. Her heart pinched in her chest and her eyes flooded in tears. She missed him even though she was angry with him. She swiped at the tears that escaped down her cheeks. She was so tired on drowning in sadness. Her heart ached so much she felt like she was being strangled.

Aimee looked around the room and her eyes settled on the nightstand beside the bed. Gibbs' cell phone laid there plugged into the charging cable. Aimee scooted across the bed and picked it up. She flipped it open and poked at some buttons. Gibbs was probably the only person left in the entire world that still used a flip phone. It was such old technology, but Gibbs wasn't exactly super young anymore. Aimee set it down and pulled open his drawer on his side table. Her eyes widened when she saw a smartphone laying there. Gibbs had a smartphone? Aimee pulled it out and slid to the floor, her curiosity getting the better of her. It looked new. She flipped it over in her hand and saw that it had an intact battery. Shrugging her shoulders and throwing caution to the wind, she turned the phone on. To her delight, the smartphone powered up. And as luck would have it, she was familiar with the operating system. Aimee flipped through the phone and searched through the apps. Her mom had owned a phone almost exactly like the one in her hand and she knew that the game app was a standard app. Sure enough, she saw the app and hit it with her finger. Nanopets was one of the most popular apps that she knew of and most of the newer phones came with the app already installed.

Aimee logged into the game and searched for the private room that Andrew had created just for her. She felt her heartbeat flutter quickly in her chest when she saw the room was there. It was only visible when Andrew had his app open. She quickly navigated her Nanopet towards the room and held her breath hoping Andrew's phone would alert him that she was present. She didn't even remember the last time she'd tried to contact Andrew. Her body ached with a kind of longing for familiarity. Andrew was someone she had clung to for hope when things were very dismal in her life. Now she was shrouded in dark sadness so maybe reaching out to Andrew again might bring her a sort of reprieve that she so longed for deep in her heart.

Once in the room, she accessed the keyboard and began typing a greeting. Her Nanopet stood smiling happily at her. Her heart pounded in her chest as she waited for some kind of response. Within seconds, she was rewarded by another pet entering the room. Andrew! It was Andrew. A small smile brushed her lips as she waited for Andrew to say something.

 _Hello, darling. I've missed you._

Aimee felt her heart skip a beat in her chest. It was Andrew.


	42. Chapter 42

Gibbs sauntered up the stairs reflecting on his conversation with Jenny. After he'd taken some time to climb down off the ceiling, the two of them had been able to have a more productive conversation. He knew Jenny meant well and wanted the best for the girls and for him. There was no doubt that the situation was tough and there were no easy answers. It came down to what was best for the girls. He had to keep his emotions out of it and focus solely on that. Gibbs reached the top of the landing and heard a door shut. He looked up to see Abby approach him.

"Hey, Gibbs," she said.

Gibbs couldn't help but notice her glum, distracted expression. He had been meaning to have a heart to heart with her about the hearing but just hadn't had the opportunity. She managed to keep herself cooped up or busy whenever he did think if it.

"Hi, Abbs. How are you?"

She shrugged. "Okay." She adjusted the bag on her shoulders.

"You going somewhere?"

"Yah." Abby hesitated like she wasn't sure she wanted to share anything with him.

Gibbs put a hand on her shoulder gently. "You're an adult, Abbs. You don't have to tell me where you're going if you don't want too."

"I know; it's not that," she assured him. "I'm just going out to see a friend, is all. Visiting friends is good when you're feeling unhappy. Scientific studies have proven…" Her hands were visibly shaking and that concerned him.

"What's bothering you?" interrupted Gibbs, knowing she was hedging.

"Who says something's bothering me?" She avoided direct eye contact.

Gibbs dropped his hand to his side as he sighed in resignation. He just didn't have the stamina to get into an altercation with Abby right then.

"Promise me you'll be safe, and I won't say another word."

Abby glared at him. "Gibbs, I can take care of myself!"

Gibbs returned her glare. "I never said you couldn't." Gibbs sighed again, forcing himself to remain calm. "The car keys are hanging up on the kitchen hook. Be home at a decent hour as in not 3 am." He gave her his best dad look. He didn't relish being woken up at some ungodly hour while she traipsed up the stairs in her heavy boots. But he'd meant what he'd said; she was an adult, and he wanted her to feel free to come and go as she pleased. He appreciated the time she spent helping him care for the girls. She deserved her freedom and his trust.

Abby saluted him with a belligerent expression on her face. "Yes, sir."

Gibbs shook his head ignoring her attitude and started to walk away from her.

"Gibbs?" she asked, her tone suddenly softening.

"Yah, Abbs?"

Her green eyes met his. Her mouth opened to say something but then closed again. He noticed a pained look wash over her face, one that he hadn't seen earlier. His heart softened a bit and he leaned in to kiss her brow tenderly.

"Have fun with your friend, Abby. I'm here if you need me, okay?"

Abby nodded quietly and then disappeared down the stairs without another word.

Gibbs continued wandering down the upstairs hallway towards the girls' room. He knocked on the door lightly and noticed that the door was ajar. He peered inside, looked around the room quickly discovering that Aimee was nowhere in sight. He groaned to himself. Apparently, he had failed yet again. Aimee hadn't come to her room after all. Sighing to himself, Gibbs walked back to his own room and was surprised to find Aimee fast asleep on his bed. A smile played on his lips as he gently sat on the edge of the bed and stared at the stubborn child. He found himself reaching out to stroke her long, fine blonde hair. He never got to see his own daughter at this age. Aimee would be close to turning ten. Kelly had died when she was barely eight years old. Kelly and Aimee couldn't have been more different. In fact, Aimee reminded him more of himself. He couldn't quite place a finger on why she reminded Gibbs so much of his own self; maybe it was her tenacity. The child stirred under his gentle stroking but didn't fully awaken. He frowned when he caught a glimpse of his smartphone held tightly in her hand. Stupid, absurd thing. Jenny had given it to him months ago, telling him he needed to join the 21st century and learn how to use the gadget. Gibbs had inserted the battery, charged it and fiddled with it a few times, but then ended up tossing the annoying item in his side table and forgotten about it. He hated technology with a passion he couldn't even explain. He hated his computer at work. He hated cell phones. All technology did was give him a blasted headache from trying to keep abreast. McGee spent more time trying to defend his computer against Gibb's assault than Gibbs did trying to use it. It would have been kinder to give him his own personal secretary. And it might have even cost NCIS less money.

Gibbs carefully slipped the smartphone away from Aimee, who murmured in her sleep. He stared at the screen trying to ascertain what the kid had wanted with it. After several minutes of poking at it, Gibbs gave up and slipped it into his pocket. There was no use fiddling with the silly thing; he couldn't figure out anything by looking at it anyhow. He'd give it to McGee and let him figure out what Aimee had done on it. Taking a deep breath, Gibbs figured it was time to wake the sleeping lioness and deal with her earlier behaviour. As he reached out to shake her awake, his heart beat a little faster in his chest. Instinctively, he knew that Aimee was a resilient kid. She'd been through so much the past few months. And, really, no one knew what the girls had lived through before they were found. Percy had been a real piece of work and Rebekah Percy had been out of the picture more than she'd been in it…especially the last couple of years or so Gibbs figured. Suddenly Gibbs had an overwhelming desire wash over him, wishing that Andrew hadn't been killed. They had so many unanswered questions about the little girls and no one seemed to have any answers. He wished he could question Andrew more on what he knew about Aimee's life before everything went to hell. Gibbs bit his lip as he gently rubbed Aimee's shoulder. His heart felt like it would break as he thought of the little girl living in an institution. She was so vulnerable. No one would understand her. Gibbs had learned a few tricks in their time together, not that he had even begun to know what made the child tick. He didn't imagine anyone attempting to be as patient with her as he had been, and even his patience had reached a limit of sorts. Places like anger management facilities reminded him of juvenile group homes fraught with overworked, underpaid employees. More times than not, they only served to breed criminals. Statistics proved it.

Aimee stirred and blinked her eyes as Gibbs softly shook her.

"Wake up, Sleeping Beauty."

Aimee frowned and quickly sat up, rubbing her eyes and looking around the room to gain her bearings.

"Have a nice rest?"

Aimee scowled.

Gibbs reached into his pocket and pulled out the hook he had given Aimee earlier.

"Where would you like me to hang this for you?"

Aimee continued scowling at him.

Gibbs took a deep breath. Apparently, her little snooze hadn't changed her demeanor much.

"Why didn't you go to your room like I asked?"

Aimee attempted to slip off his bed but Gibbs reached out and held her arm gently.

"Lemme go."

"Aimee, you and I need to have a chat. This attitude of yours cannot continue. Everyone feels like they are walking on eggshells around you and it's not fair."

Aimee's eyes sparked. "Why do you care? You're getting rid of us anyway."

Gibbs' heart clenched in his chest. The more he tried to forge a bond with her, the further they were torn apart by reality.

Aimee yanked herself away and stood to her feet. "I don't care about your dumb ole basement anyway. I can take care of myself. Me and Nessie did okay before we met you, and we will be okay when you kick us out. Andrew will protect us…"

Gibbs' brows shot up into his hairline. "What did you say?" Gibbs quickly rose to his feet and stepped in front of the door to keep Aimee from leaving the room. She glared at him with fire in her eyes.

"Me and Nessie can live with Andrew. He said he would make sure we didn't get split up. He loves me!"

Gibbs took Aimee by the forearms firmly and stooped to make eye contact. He swallowed hard, not knowing exactly how to break the news. Gibbs was straightforward kind of man and he believed that mincing words never helped anyone.

"Aims, Andrew is dead."

Aimee's mouth dropped open and her face clouded. Gibbs couldn't tell what emotions he was reading on her face as she narrowed her eyes. He expected her to dissolve in tears at the information but instead, anger and rage filled her eyes.

"You're a liar!" she shouted.

Gibbs frowned as he watched other emotions play out before his eyes. Emotions like betrayal and confusion danced in the child's eyes.

"Aims…"

Aimee shook her head and backed away from him. "Ever since I met you, you told us to trust you but how can we do that when you tell lies!"

Gibbs scowled. He couldn't figure out where she was going with her words. He always had made a point to be painfully honest with the girls, even despite their young age.

"Aimee, I would never lie to you."

"Shut-up! Andrew isn't dead!" Her voice was shrill and she attempted to scoot past him to escape out the door.

Gibbs grabbed her around the waist and scooped her up in his arm, setting her on his bed.

"Yes, he is!"

Aimee balled up her fist and took a swing at Gibbs' face. Gibbs ducked and attempted to restrain her hand but instead, Aimee swung again and her fist connected firmly with his nose. Gibbs gasped and held his nose as he felt warm liquid trickle down his face.

"You're a big, stupid liar!"

As Gibbs attempted to recover from the impact of her fist, Aimee managed to duck past him and escape out his door.

"Son of a…" mumbled Gibbs under his breath as he wiped the back of his hand across his nose and chased after Aimee down the stairs.

Gibbs caught Aimee around the waist before she could get far. He scooped her up much more roughly than he intended and tossed her over his shoulder. He felt his heart beating hard in his chest and his mind was whirling. He spun on his heel and returned up the stairs towards his room once again then stopped. He was breathing heavy as he felt Aimee's small fists pound on his back and her voice screaming shrilly in his ear. _Think, Gibbs,_ he admonished himself as he stood in his hallway. He closed his eyes trying to think of the best course of action. Aimee was out of control and yet, something in his gut told him her reaction was caused by something other than just grief or denial. Something else was going on and he needed to get to the bottom of it.

He took a deep breath and entered his room securing the lock he had installed. Aimee continued screaming and pounding his back with his fists. He needed to calm her down before he would be able to accomplish anything. He instinctively sat on his bed, swung her off his shoulder and across his knee, landing several sharp, painful smacks to her jean clad behind. Aimee immediately froze and her screaming stopped. Gibbs could feel her heart pounding in her chest against the top of his upper thighs. He lowered his hand which had remained in the air, poised to land another swat should he deem it necessary. He could hear Aimee breathing hard but she remained completely frozen across his lap.

"Are you ready to talk to me?" he asked.

No answer.

"Answer my question," repeated Gibbs a bit more firmly, patting her lower back with his hand. "Are you ready for us to talk or shall I continue?"

Aimee shook her head. "NO!" Her voice was loud but no longer held a belligerent tone to it.

Gibbs leaned forward so he could see her eyes. Aimee's face was red from being held over his lap.

"No, you won't talk or no, you don't want me to continue?"

Again, he received no answer to his question. Gibbs sighed. He wasn't sure he'd ever met such a stubborn child in all his born days. His instincts were screaming at him to continue on and give her a real spanking; one she wouldn't soon forget, but he knew he didn't have that right. She didn't belong to him. He heaved a weary sigh, picked her up and set her on her feet in front of him, pinning her between his legs. At the same time, he reached for a tissue off his bedside table and held it over his nose. He tenderly wiped the blood away and stared at Aimee.

"What makes you think I'm lying to you?"

Aimee's eyes narrowed yet again. Gibbs could see the wheels turning in her head.

"Let me go!"

Gibbs chewed his bottom lip, feeling completely frustrated.

"Not until you talk to me." He felt beyond exasperated with her. "My patience with you has been exhausted, Aimee. I'm warning you, those two little swats are nothing compared to what is waiting for you if you don't start talking."

Aimee blinked hard and fast. Gibbs could see her little mind considering his words. If she didn't know anything else about him, she should know that he kept his word. As long as she'd known him, he'd gone out of his way to always keep his word.

"I know you're lying 'cuz I talked to Andrew today," Aimee muttered softly but her voice was dripping with bitterness.

Gibbs frowned. "When?"

Aimee shrugged.

"Aimee, I'm serious here. Stop playing games," warned Gibbs.

"I'm not!" she shouted, struggling to get free from his knees. Gibbs held her tightly between his legs as he gripped her arms as well.

"Aimee, you need to listen to me. Your friend, Andrew, was killed a little while ago. I should have told you sooner but you seemed so angry with him, and I didn't want to cause you any more pain."

Aimee shook her head and continued to struggle to get away from him. She balled up her fists again. Gibbs could tell they had come full circle, and he didn't relish another bop in the nose. His face was still smarting from the first shot she'd gotten in

"When did you talk to him?" he demanded, doing his best to guard himself against her flailing hands.

Aimee freed an arm and attempted to sock him in the face again. "I'm not telling you anything!"

In a sudden move, he spun her around and secured her arms to her sides. It was easier for him to maintain a solid hold on her if she faced away from him. He didn't like it but he just needed to calm her down. He gave her an exasperated firm shake in hopes she would stop fighting against him.

"Aims, just listen to me for a minute, alright? I am telling you the truth and if you'll stop hitting me and calm down a little, I'll tell you exactly what happened to Andrew."

"Shut up! You're a liar, and I hate you!"

Gibbs heaved a heavy sigh of resignation. Perhaps Lydia Parker was right after all. Maybe Aimee needed more help than he could give her. The more he thought he could handle her, the more he failed. He had reached an impasse with the young girl, and he just didn't know what to do anymore.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Jenny pushed the trap door open and poked her head up into the treehouse. She found herself immediately covered in white powder nearly causing her to sneeze. She scanned the room and was quickly discovered that Janessa had put the substance to good use. Or perhaps good use was a poor choice of words. She had put it to interesting use. Jenny covered her mouth to stifle a laugh as she watched Janessa making snow angels on the wooden floor. The small child was happily chattering away as she moved her arms and legs in the flour, covering her whole body with the white powder. Jenny purposely made noise to capture the child's attention so as to not frighten her. Janessa sat up and smiled at her.

"Hi, Director Shepard."

"Hello, Little Miss. What are you doing?"

Janessa laid back. "Making angels."

Jenny came up into the treehouse, closed the trapdoor and knelt down beside her. Jenny attempted to brush the dust from her dark pants and shirt but it was a fruitless endeavor.

"So I see. Is that what you wanted the flour for?"

Janessa stood to her feet, walked towards the flour bag and grabbed another handful.

"Nope."

Janessa started sprinkling more flour on her hair and face.

Jenny rested her hands on her knees and looked at Janessa, trying her best to keep the amusement from showing on her face.

"What are you doing now?"

"Getting in disguys."

"Do you mean disguise?"

"That's what I said."

Jenny smirked. "Why do you need a disguise?"

Janessa brushed her hair out of her face. "Cuz I'm going under the covers." Jenny watched as Janessa picked up a blanket from the floor and put it around her shoulders. "I'm a special agent like Mr. Gibbs. He does stuff under the covers and catches the bad guys, right?"

Jenny had to choke back a giggle at Janessa's wording. "Are you trying to catch a bad guy, Ness?"

"Uh huh."

"You left quite a mess in the kitchen."

Janessa adjusted the blanket and rubbed her nose before sneezing.

"Bless you," said Jenny with a smile. She couldn't help smirking at the flour covered little girl in front of her. Janessa was covered from head to toe in the stuff. Her face was smudged and her little blue eyes sparkled amongst all the whiteness. The pink Disney Princess blanket was draped over her tiny shoulders and a bright smile was dancing on her lips.

"Sowry. The phone was ringing so I puts the bag on the floor and tripped on it."

Jenny tried to look stern as she looked at Janessa. _That explains the flour trail into the family room,_ thought Jenny.

"Did you answer the phone?" Jenny didn't remember hearing it ring.

"Yup."

"Who was it?"

"Timmy."

Jenny smirked again. Janessa's one-word answers reminded her of Gibbs. Perhaps the man was rubbing off on the girl.

"Did Tim leave a message?"

"Uh huh."

Jenny reached out and grabbed Janessa, tickling her. Her one-word answers were so reminiscent of Gibbs that Jenny could almost hear the man's voice echoing in her mind.

"What did he say, you little monkey?"

Janessa squealed and giggled. "He wants Mr. Gibbs to call him back. I wrote a note on the floor." Jenny shook her head and laughed. She vaguely remembered seeing Tim's name written in the flour dust on the floor but she didn't think much about it. Jenny hugged the little girl closer to her.

"So, what bad guy are you trying to catch, Agent Janessa?"

Janessa pulled away and drew in the flour on the floor. "Director Shepard?" Her face was suddenly serious.

"Yes, Ness?"

"I might have to go away soon."

"Where are you going?"

Janessa shrugged. "Mr. Gibbs wants me and Aimee to have a new mommy and daddy, doesn't he?"

Jenny felt her heart rate increase. "Yes, honey, he thinks that's the best for you." Janessa was a bright child and there was no use telling her half-truths.

"So, I don't gots much time for my covers operation."

Jenny bit her bottom lip. Janessa had been with them in Protective custody for a long time now, and it was obvious she had heard many new words. Many terms were new to her and it seemed like she was trying to adopt them into her vocabulary.

"Can you share with me about it? I am the director of NCIS after all. I might be able to help."

Janessa wrinkled up her nose as if considering Jenny's words and then turned to face her. "I'm under the covers so I can find my mommy."

"Oh, sweetie," whispered Jenny, her heart breaking. Everyone had thought Janessa was beginning to forget her mom but it was obvious she hadn't at all.

"When I'm all done with my disguys, you won't be able to see me no more cuz I'll be a real life ghost."

"A ghost?" echoed Jenny, lifting a brow. "Why do you want to be a ghost?"

"So I can see my mommy."

Jenny's heart melted at the child's soft words.

"Janessa, honey, your mommy is in heaven, remember?"

"I know that." Janessa rubbed at her nose. "But if I'm under the covers, God won't see me when I visit her in heaven."

Jenny sucked in a deep breath, feeling at a loss for words. Janessa peered deeply into her eyes with a look of wonderment on her face. The little girl's long eyelashes fluttered and Jenny could see the imprints of the lashes under her eyes. There was so much hope and child-like faith on her face that Jenny feared to say anything to hurt her. Jenny sat back and crossed her legs, feeling her feet going to sleep from kneeling so long.

"Come sit with me, sweetheart." Jenny reached out and brought Janessa onto her lap. She hugged the little girl tightly to her chest, willing herself to come up with the right words to help Janessa understand. Jenny often thought being the director of NCIS was a difficult job, but as she sat searching her mind for the right words to help Janessa accept and understand death, suddenly her occupation felt simple in comparison.


	43. Chapter 43

Tony looked up from the latest victim and scrubbed a hand across his face. Tears burned his eyes and his stomach churned, threatening to unload its contents onto the ground. The past few days had turned into one incredible nightmare he couldn't wake up from. After what seemed like a peaceful lull where his days were filled with cold cases, the peace turned into some kind of calm before the storm. Three young kids had turned up dead, including the newest victim he was now staring at. His eyes scanned the scene around him. An epic slaughter was what it was. He couldn't even be sure if the victim was male or female.

"Anything, Ducky?"

Tony looked at the M.E., hoping for some kind of information to help him digest the grotesque scene assaulting him.

Dr. Mallard heaved a sigh and shook his head. He rose to his full height and wiped his gloved hands on a rag he held in his hands. The elder man wasn't known for being at a loss for words. The fact that the man was silent only served to make Tony feel even more disconcerted.

"It's reminiscent of…" began Palmer.

"It doesn't need to be said, Mr. Palmer." Dr. Mallard quickly cut the younger man off and Palmer dropped his head, respecting the older medical examiner.

It was true. Nothing needed to be said. Every one of them recognised the M.O. of the scene. It was graphic but it was familiar. The Percy case haunted everyone's memories. Anytime they faced the murder of children, it made all of them shaken to the core. And now, after three similar murders of young kids, none of them had much stamina left. Tony hadn't even bothered to bring Gibbs up to speed. He didn't think it was necessary when they had more questions than answers.

"I gather you have an idea of an age, at the very least."

"I don't care to speculate, Anthony," answered the M.E. gruffly, turning from him and walking back towards his vehicle.

Tony swallowed and looked at Palmer.

"Twelve. Maybe thirteen. From the looks of things, she was a girl."

Tony cringed. Of course, it was a girl. Female trafficking was on the rise, and MS-13 was neck deep in it. It had only been a matter of time until the lull ended and the group decided it was business as usual. But Tony couldn't figure out why they were murdering the girls. It made no sense. Getting rid of evidence? Old stock? Tony turned to walk away when Palmer stood to his feet with a loud shout.

"Of course! Why didn't we think of it before?"

Tony spun on his heel and stared at Palmer with a look of confusion. "Think of what, Palmer?"

Palmer held something in his hand. Tony took a few steps closer and stared at the small object in the younger M.E.'s hand. Tony blinked. It was a microchip or tracking device of some sort. Something he'd seen used in animals: dogs, cats, horses, and he'd heard of the technology being used in preventing the kidnapping of children. He looked at Palmer as his mind began to whirl in a million different directions. They should have thought to look. It was hard to believe that with all the nonsense over the tattoo and Aimee's stay in the hospital afterward that it wouldn't have been found if she had one. Surely, if she had one, it would have shown up in scans. It would have, wouldn't it?

"Were Aimee and Janessa ever checked for one of these?" asked Palmer, placing the small device in an evidence bag.

Tony shrugged. It had never crossed his mind. He wasn't sure if it had crossed anyone's mind. Why would it? It wasn't like they had experience in these kinds of things, and it was very new technology. It wasn't a standard procedure even with animals yet. Tony felt his heart speed up at the thought. If the girls had a tracking device similar, they were still in grave danger.

"It would have shown up…"

Palmer shook his head. "Not this kind." Tony looked at the small, bloodied chip in the evidence bag. It was no bigger than the head of a jewelry screw.

"Are you sure it's…"

"Positive." Palmer's expression booked no doubts.

"I better call Gibbs."

Tony reached for his cell phone and just as he began to dial Gibbs, the phone rang in his hand causing both Palmer and him to startle.

"DiNozzo," he answered with a hint of annoyance in his voice.

"T-Tony?" said a small, timid voice.

Tony's softened as he recognised the voice on the other end of the line.

"Abbs?"

He heard a soft sniffle and it set his teeth on edge. Something was wrong.

"Abbs? What's the matter?"

Tony listened stealthily hearing shuffling in the background. He furrowed his brows as he could hear the weeping and crying growing more distant. The sounds of trains could be heard in the distance. His instincts took over his rational thinking as he heard his heart pounding in his ear.

"Listen closely as I will not be repeating this," graveled a deep, obviously altered voice. Tony could tell the phone had switched to speaker phone as he was able to discern other sounds in the distance as well as the speaker's voice. He could also hear Abby's weeping and sniffling as well.

"If you want to see Miss Sciuto again, we will do an exchange. Bring Brody's kid to the old abandoned train station in Beckwith. Come alone."

Tony's pulse beat fast in his chest and his mouth went dry. Who was this and how did they know about Brody? The information was so classified that it had taken Gibbs by surprise when he found out. Brody had disappeared without a trace and that had been no easy exploit to swallow considering he was the director of the FBI. His disappearance affected everyone right up to the president. No one was left unscathed. It took a few moments before Tony released that the man on the other end was waiting for a response to his demand.

A sharp scream was heard and Tony bit his lip hard enough to draw blood.

"This isn't a game, Agent DiNozzo. You have two hours to comply."

"Where do I meet you?"

His mind was racing as he did what he could to take in all the sounds on the line. He leaned down and picked up a stone, tossing it in McGee's direction capturing the man's attention. McGee frowned but wandered over silently. Tony got to his knees and began scratching information in the dirt as he continued listening little sound could be used to give him one up on the kidnapper. And Tony was not going to miss the opportunity.

"There's a caboose on the line. It's run down and hasn't been used in decades. Miss Sciuto will be there. She will tell you what to do from there. One false move and it will be the last one you make. Brody's kid in exchange for your forensic scientist."

"What do you want with the kid?"

The voice on the other end sneered and Tony's heart skipped a beat when he heard a devastating breaking sound and Abby screamed out in pain.

"What did you do?" he demanded. Tony was frozen on his knees; his face went white as he prayed what he heard wasn't what he thought it was.

"Miss Sciuto doesn't need to be intact to tell you what to do…all she needs is a civil tongue in her head."

Tony swallowed hard. His mind envisioned terrible things as he stared blankly at Tim.

"Bring the kid." The line went dead.


	44. Chapter 44

Abby sat in the darkness blinking back a new barrage of tears. She had one handcuffed to a railing in the dark caboose. The other arm hung limply at her side, broken at the elbow. Her mouth was gagged so tightly that it was nearly impossible to lick her dry, cracked lips beneath the duct tape. She swallowed hard as she attempted to bring up enough saliva to keep her mouth moist. She could feel herself trembling all over and knew she was fighting shock. She pulled her legs up closer to her midsection to keep herself warm in an attempt to keep the shock away for as long as possible. She wouldn't be any help to anyone if she lost consciousness. Time had slipped away on her as she tried to keep away the negative thoughts that had berated her for hours already. It wasn't useful to continue to blame herself even though she knew her predicament was every bit her fault. Her stupidity was going to be the cause of Aimee's death. She was going to have to live with that for the rest of her life. Abby felt the bile forming in the back of her throat and she tried to swallow it down only to feel vomit come forcefully upwards with no place to go. She choked on it until she felt it escape out her nose. Tears blurred her vision and burned her eyes.

Outside light suddenly flooded the closed, stale room and she blinked hard to focus her eyes. Abby had lost track on time but was able to discern that the light that entered the room was moonlight. What time was it? How long had she been cuffed in the caboose? A figure approached her and roughly ripped the tape from her mouth. The vomit came freely now and she heaved until she was overcome by dry heaves. She spat a few times before she looked up at her captor with tear filled eyes.

"Why are…"

Her words were smacked from her lips as she felt a sharp blow hit her square in the mouth.

"Not a word from you," commanded the man, towering over her. He was in the shadows, keeping his identity a secret but Abby knew who he was. She could recognise his voice.

"Just tell me why." Abby choked before ducking her head in anticipation of another blow to the face.

The man paced in the shadows. "It's not about you, Abby." Abby shivered in the darkness at the personal way he used her given name. She felt something within her snap.

"Then what the hell is it about then? And what does Aimee have to do with it, huh? She's just a little kid, Fagan!" Abby's sudden courage surprised even herself.

Another figure entered the caboose from afar and continued to walk forwards until he stopped in front of her, out of the shadows. Abby blinked several times in disbelief.

"And that little kid belongs to me, Miss Sciuto. I can do whatever I please with her."

Abby licked her lips as a shiver ran down her spine. Her bravado still lingered enough to allow her to further speak her mind. "A father is supposed to protect his daughter," she spat out; her voice was laced with venom and disgust.

Brody's face broke into a frighteningly haunting Cheshire cat-like smirk. "I am protecting her."

Abby furrowed her brow in confusion.

"I'm protecting her and every other child in this sick excuse of a world. The information she holds is enough to bring down every single trafficking cartel in the world, Miss. Sciuto. Don't you get it? Aimee's life won't be in vain. Her death will save others. I'm willing to sacrifice her for the millions of others who will be saved. It's the ultimate sacrifice. As will your life be. You should be honoured to do your part."

Abby shook her head in horror and incredulity.

"Aimee doesn't know anything." She choked out as she began to tremble involuntarily. "The tattoo was destroyed."

"It was never about the tattoo. That was just subterfuge. Percy had a microchip embedded into Aimee's cerebral cortex. It alone holds the data to end human trafficking."

Abby felt the shock taking over her body. She had no words left. It was all too much for her to take in. Brody had somehow convinced himself that, at any cost, he was the saviour of the world. Abby closed her eyes knowing she had reached the end of the line. Brody was the director of the FBI. He knew every trick in the book. There was no way she was going to survive this day. Not even Gibbs could save her now.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

"You're insane, Tony!" stated Tim, standing with his mouth gaping in complete dismay. "This will never work. We need to call Gibbs."

Tony shook his head as he glanced over at the computer screen. He continued explaining his plan and ignored Tim's protests.

"Ziva, you take the back sector and keep your head down." His voice brooked no room for discussion or argument.

Ziva scowled but nodded as she cast a worried glance at Tim.

Tim groaned. "Tony, listen to reason, for Pete's sake. Do you even know who we're dealing with? Do you?"

Tony's stance became rigid as he spun on his heel and glared at Tim and Ziva.

"Yes, Tim, I know exactly who we're dealing with! The question is: do YOU?" Tony's voice was filled with determined authority. "Look, Gibbs put me in charge and you are to follow orders, okay?" He looked at Ziva. "Both of you! Stop questioning everything and just do what I damned well say!"

Tim took a few steps back as Tony entered into his personal space. Tony was known to be a jokester and a clown, but everyone who knew him also recognised that he was every bit professional. He'd been an agent for a long time and he was good. He was damned good. There was a reason why Gibbs had picked him as his right-hand man. Tim's instincts told him to trust Tony, but his gut told him that Gibbs should know.

"I know Gibbs put you in charge, Tony, but would he want you to put Mich Lin in this position?"

"Mich Lin is a trained agent, McGee. She volunteered. Besides, I don't plan to let her get close enough to be any real danger."

Ziva stepped forward. "I'm not sure anyone will believe she is a nine-year-old child, Tony."

"She's small, Ziva. Her disguise is good. I didn't even recognise her earlier."

Tim rubbed the back of his neck as he looked at the aerial view of the abandoned train yard.

"She's Asian, Tony. One close look and the gig is up. Are you sure you want to put Abby in that amount of danger? We have more what-ifs than we do assurances!"

Tony pounded his fist on the corner of Gibb's desk. "Every damned day we take risks, McGee. We don't have any other choices here. Sometimes we just have to go with our gut. Gibbs would do the same thing if he were here. We put our lives on the line daily…"

"Abby isn't a field agent, Tony!" snapped Tim, his teeth on edge.

Tony's features softened and he shook his head, raking a hand through his thick brown hair. The dark circles under his eyes revealed that he knew what was at stake. This was personal to them all. Abby was family.

"I know, Tim." His voice was almost a whisper. "Every damned time I close my eyes, I remember who she is. A part of me is so pissed off at her stupidity but another part of me is proud of her. She's our Abbs!"

Tim and Ziva nodded in understanding. Abby was, well she was Abby. She always followed her heart, and sometimes that meant she did stupid things without fully thinking them through. As much as it annoyed and scared them, they loved that about her. Ziva took a few steps towards Tony and on impulse hugged him. Tim stood by and watched. They all took another look at the screen in front of them before silently grabbing their gear and heading towards the elevator. Come what may, the plan had been set in motion. They were going to rescue Abby.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Jenny finished drying and putting away the last few dishes. On impulse, she put the kettle on for tea. A warm drink would help calm her nerves. As much as she'd love a cup of strong coffee, she thought an herbal tea would be a better choice. She didn't dare mess with her opportunity to find peace in slumber. She glanced at the clock and was surprised to see how late it was. She really needed to get back to NCIS and check on a few things before turning in for the evening. She didn't know how working mothers did manage it all, day in and day out. Parenting children was hard work, and Jenny felt exhausted. Gibbs and she had managed to feed, bathe and juggle two tired, emotional kids. The evening had been quiet but at the same time, extremely frustrating. Janessa was subdued after their talk. Jenny figured it was the little girl's way of dealing with the reality of death which was in such stark contrast with what her imagination had allowed. Jenny hadn't been able to convince the little girl of much of anything. Janessa's response had been despair, tears, and silence. Gibbs hadn't fared any better with Aimee. Aimee was angry and bitter. She refused to eat or cooperate with them. Jenny didn't think Gibbs could look more distraught but she'd been wrong. Aimee's demeanor had continued to spiral downward and soured the entire evening putting everyone in a grouchy mood. Finally, Gibbs, in his exasperation, had hauled the out of control child upstairs and deposited her in her bed. Janessa had fallen asleep on the sofa in the living room waiting to find out if it was safe to go to her room. Gibbs had yet to return. Jenny was beginning to wonder what happened to the man since he'd been gone so long. She hoped he was able to keep his wits about him and hadn't done anything he'd live to regret.

Jenny hugged herself as she walked towards the backdoor to peer out into the darkness. She could hear the tree frogs chirping happily and beckoning her to the porch swing. Gibbs house always felt a little like a slice of heaven, nestled so cozily in the suburbs, away from the beaten path of the city. Perfect little place to raise a family. She understood why Gibbs and Shannon had chosen it. The backyard was lush and large with plenty of room for a treehouse, sandbox and a swing set. Shannon had planted beautiful flower gardens all around the back of the house. Gibbs said she had been content to stay home and be a wife and a mother. Part of Jenny envied that lifestyle. She wished that she could be content staying home, but she never was. She needed more from life than that.

"I don't know what else to do with her."

Jenny felt herself jump at the deep voice that came from behind her. Her heart melted when she saw how tired and stressed Gibbs looked as he all but collapsed in the nearest chair. Jenny chewed on her bottom lip as she walked across the room to pour them both mugs of hot tea.

"Did she settle?"

Gibbs ran a weary hand through his silver hair. "No, she's still pitching a fit." He sighed and rested his forehead on the table. "She insists that Andrew is still alive and that I'm lying to her."

Jenny set the mugs on the table and sat down. Gibbs sighed again and rocked his head back and forth on the table.

"Maybe I should try and talk to her. You've been butting heads with her all night. Maybe she needs a new opponent." Jenny stood up to leave the room.

Gibbs' head popped up and he put a hand on Jenny's arm firmly. "Jenn, wait."

Jenny stopped and looked at him with concern. "Oh, Jethro, you look plain done in." Jenny came closer and ran a tender hand down his cheek, tracing the line of a raw, inflamed scratch. "Did Aimee do that?"

Gibbs winced involuntarily and nodded. "The more I struggle with her, the more I realise that I'm out of my league here. I hate the idea of Aimee being placed in an anger management centre, but maybe they will be able to help her. I've tried every idea I know but I keep failing."

Jenny began to massage his shoulders. "She's been through so much, Jethro."

He nodded. "I know. None of it is her fault and I get that. She's just lashing out because she feels so out of control. She doesn't know how to cope and I don't know how to help her. The more I try, the more I fail."

Jenny continued to massage his tense shoulders. "What do you plan to do?"

"I called Miss Parker when I was upstairs and made an appointment to tour the facility with Aimee next week. She suggested we meet with some psychologists while we're there and start some therapy. Apparently, they have some great play therapy for kids Aimee's age."

Jenny smiled. "That sounds like a great idea. Many they will be able to show you some techniques you could use at home."

Gibbs stiffened and grabbed Jenny's hands gently in his, turning to face her. "I'm going to give her up, Jenn." His blue eyes shimmered as he looked at Jenny. Jenny's heart skipped a beat as she saw the look of defeat on his face.

"Jethro."

He shook his head. "Jenn, I lost my patience with her today. I spanked her and it took every effort to not continue smacking her into submission. It's not the first time I've felt that exasperated. I'm afraid I'll hurt her." This time Jenny could see the tears in his eyes before he stubbornly blinked them away.

Jenny wrapped her arms around him and held him close. "Oh, Jethro, you would never hurt her. You've got to trust your instincts."

Gibbs pushed her away and stood to his feet. "Jenny, I did hurt her and I could have seriously injured her. Aren't you listening? She punched me in the face and, for a few moments, I was furious. You know that anger you get when you're in pain…that blind anger? I caught her, and I was rough when I grabbed her. I was rough when I hit her. I was wrong. It is never okay to discipline a child in anger." Gibbs raked a hand through his silvery hair. "I don't have what it takes to help her so I have to give her up."

Jenny licked her lips and wrapped one arm around her own waist. "What if she was Kelly?"

Gibbs whirled around and glared at her. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Jenny held up a hand. "NO, listen. What if Aimee was Kelly? What if Kelly had witnessed Shannon's murder and survived? Would you have given up on her?"

Gibbs stood with his mouth open looking shocked and without words. Jenny could see a whole gambit of emotions flood across his face before he dropped his hands to his side.

"She's not Kelly," he spat, his voice dangerously low.

Jenny nodded. "I know. But, Jethro, she is somebody's Kelly. And if Kelly was still alive and you weren't around to protect her, what would you want for her?"

Gibbs sighed loudly and looked deeply into Jenny's eyes, tears escaping down his cheeks.

Jenny closed the distance between them and wrapped Jethro in a hug. He seemed to melt into her embrace. She had given him some food for thought and it was going to take a while for him to process it.


	45. Chapter 45

**A/N Hi Readers,**

 **Sorry, my updates have been slow-coming, but rest assured, I will finish this story. I have a few other ideas in the works as well**

 **June is a busy month for me, ...I'm surprised I'm sane. :D**

 **Just a little note: According to canon, Gibbs was born in 1958 (younger than the actor playing him) and my story takes place in season six or seven which makes Gibbs around 50 years old in my story.**

Tony checked the position of his sidearm, more out of habit than necessity, as he approached the caboose. He didn't anticipate finding anyone else inside except Abby. His gut told him that he was dealing with experts; there would be no accidental slip ups. These people had a plan and they wouldn't deviate from it. They didn't care the risks. Tony's instincts told him he needed to use tactics that were unheard of even within NCIS. He'd been working in law enforcement for a long time and for Gibbs even longer and the man had trained him well. It wasn't the first time that he'd had to do the unexpected. Sometimes unpredictability was just the predictability he counted on.

The abandoned train car was parked in the overgrown brush in the exact location he'd been told. The car was completely entrenched in darkness way off the beaten path. Tony found himself staring at the caboose in awe for several seconds. He couldn't quite remember the last time he'd seen one. The car brought back childhood memories. What kid didn't love to see the caboose at the end of a train? Shaking his childhood wonderment away, he cautiously climbed up the back of the engine and peered inside. His suspicions were rewarded when he saw nothing but a lone figure inside. His heart jumped into his throat when he noticed that the figure in the darkness wasn't moving. Tony checked his surroundings once more as he made a quick entrance into the caboose. Tony's mouth grew dry as he took in the scene. Abby's left hand was cuffed to a handrail above her head and her head was resting on her chest. Tony held his breath as he rushed to her side and reached out to touch her. Relief flooded him when he felt the warmth of her skin. She was alive.

"Abbs?"

Abby's head jerked up at the sound of her name. Tony could see the track lines of tears on her dirt-smudged face. Her eyes were swollen from crying. Tony shivered when he saw the despair on her face.

"Abby, are you hurt?"

"You shouldn't have come, Tony!" Her words came out hoarse and almost a whisper.

Tony began searching for a way to free her but Abby fought his attempts.

"Please tell me you didn't bring Aimee here. Please, Tony."

Abby's voice held a tone of desperation in it that Tony had never heard before. Tony ignored her words and kept running his hands gently over her extremities, searching for injuries. Abby winced and cried out in pain. His heart skipped a beat when he realised her arm was broken.

"Oh Abby, what did he do to you?"

Abby shook her head and tried to shove Tony away from her.

"He's going to kill us all, Tony. It doesn't matter what you do. Get out of here!"

Ignoring her pleas, Tony brushed a hand across her cheek. "Abby, is anything else injured other than your arm? How did it happen?"

"Go away! Leave me alone! Please Tony..."

Tony could feel Abby shaking in his arms as he gently drew her into a warm embrace. He knew she was in shock. She wasn't making sense.

"Everything is gonna be okay, Abbs."

"Not, it's not! Gibbs is going to hate me forever. How could I be so stupid to trust Fagan?"

"Abby, Gibbs could no sooner hate you than he could stop breathing. Hang on, this might hurt." Tony reached up and yanked on the railing, pulling it from the weak exterior of the wall. The caboose was old and the fixtures had weakened with time. Abby moaned at the quick action and collapsed into Tony's arms enabling him to slide the handcuff off the railing. He gently lifted her to the nearest seat which was illuminated in the moonlight. The dim light allowed him to do a better scan of her injuries, and he was relieved to see her arm was the only thing damaged. With skill and gentility, he removed his overshirt and made a sling for her arm. Abby seemed to drift in and out of consciousness which greatly alarmed him. Was it just shock or had she been drugged as well?

"C'mon, Abbs, stay with me. What did Fagan tell you?"

Abby blinked and whimpered. "He's going to kill Aimee." Tears escaped down her cheeks once more.

"No, he won't." Tony gave her a firm shake. "C'mon, Abby, you need to tell me what he said to you."

Abby shook her head. "He'll kill you and Aimee both. He doesn't care, Tony. She's his daughter, and he doesn't care about her at all."

Abby started sobbing uncontrollably, and Tony pulled her into another hug. He held her trembling body close as his mind began to whirl. _Whose daughter? What was Abby talking about? As far as he knew, Fagan didn't have a kid. Unless Abby wasn't talking about Fagan at all. But, it had been Fagan who had contacted him with Abby's whereabouts. That much he knew. But why was he willing to let her go when she was worth so much to him? What made Aimee worth more than all the inside military secrets?_

Tony stroked Abby's dark hair. "Abbs, calm down," he spoke softly into her ear. "I need you to calm down and focus for me, okay? Who are you talking about?"

Abby choked on her tears. "Brody!"

Tony quirked a brow feeling confused. "Brody?"

Abby nodded.

Tony felt his mouth go dry. "FBI Brody?"

Abby nodded again before covering her face with her hand and succumbing to her sobs once again. Her whole body was trembling and Tony knew she was in shock as well as just plain terrified.

Tony rubbed a soothing hand up and down Abby's back as she continued to sob. He shook his head trying to wrap his mind around what Abby was saying to him. David Brody was the one orchestrating everything? How could that be possible? The more he thought he was putting the pieces of the case together, the more confused and disconcerted he became. Brody was handpicked by the President of the United States, for Pete's sake. Brody was good. He was damned good. The man had managed to weasel his way into the internal heart of the United States government. He found favour and trust, and he obliterated it all. How much internal damage had the man created within the organisation? How much disloyalty and disunity had the man created? And for what? All for the sake of some kind of what? A Personal vendetta? Notoriety? None of it made any sense.

"What does he have to do with Fagan?"

Abby shrugged and pulled away. Her green eyes were bloodshot. "Fagan said he's been working undercover for Brody for several years. He's been playing Brody and Stratton."

"Wait. What? Fagan is a special agent?"

Abby shook her head. "I don't think so. I don't think it has anything to do with legal sanctions, Tony. I think it's Brody's own vendetta."

Tony felt his head spinning at the news. It made no sense. What reason would Brody have to have a vendetta, and why would he be willing to use his own kid to settle it? But in the end, it didn't matter the reasons. What mattered was ending the whole ordeal and putting a stop to the key players. If he could take Brody out and maybe Fagan, that'd be half the battle. Maybe just maybe, Brody would be willing to plea bargain and he would lead them straight to Stratton. If they got their hands on Stratton, maybe the whole nightmare would be finally over.

"Do you trust me, Abbs?" said Tony, suddenly firm in his own mind what his next steps would be.

Abby blinked, her face uncertain.

"Do you?"

Abby nodded.

"Tell me what Brody said."

"But what about Aimee?"

Tony shook his head and put a finger to Abby's lips. "DO you trust me or not?" His voice was firm.

"Yes."

"Then give me Brody's message and let me handle it. Gibbs would never forgive me if anything happened to you, Abbs."

Tears welled up in her eyes again and flooded down her cheeks. "Gibbs is never going to speak to me again, Tony."

Tony cupped her chin with his hand. "Stop it, Abby. Gibbs loves you! He's going to be seriously pissed with you but, trust me; he's going to be relieved to know you're okay." Tony allowed some time for the words to sink in before prompting her again. "Now, tell me what Brody said."

Abby's lips quivered and she nodded.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

 _"She's somebody's Kelly."_

Jenny's words kept echoing in Gibbs' head as he wondered outside to sit on the back porch swing. Jenny had reluctantly left, excusing herself to return to NCIS. It wasn't often Gibbs felt alone, but once Jenny drove away, a part of him felt abandoned. Jenny's words swirled around in his mind to the point where he felt they were taking on a life on their own. The words rang true; Aimee was someone else's precious daughter. She was a dear child who was helpless to defend herself. So much had happened in her short life, and she had no one to advocate on her behalf. Both Aimee and Janessa were completely alone. Like he was. The only difference between him and the girls was he was old enough to choose his new family and he had.

" _What if Kelly was still alive and you weren't around to protect her?"_

Gibbs felt himself cringe as those words played over on repeat in his head. What if Kelly had survived and he had died with Shannon? Who would have been there to raise her and protect her? His dad? Mike Franks? Would Kelly have been alone to fend for herself in a sea of foster homes with no one to truly love her? Gibbs shuddered at the thought. Every child deserved to be loved unacceptably.

But why him? Why had the girls fallen into his lap? He was 50 years old and well past his prime. He would have been long done his childrearing days. Even if Shannon had lived and they'd had another child, he still would have been well past this stage of life. He didn't have the same patience and stamina that he'd had as a younger man. And he was jaded. His life did not leave room for children. The right thing to do was to give them up and make sure they found a good home. Why the hell couldn't he just let go? He'd made rules for himself a long time ago to protect his heart. Rule number ten said never get personally involved in a case, and he always found it the hardest rule to keep.

The backdoor opened interrupting his thoughts. He looked up to see a small blond head peek around the door and make eye contact with him. Gibbs stifled a strangled sigh when he saw Aimee's shimmering blue eyes in the moonlight. He didn't relish any more altercations tonight. He had secretly hoped she had fallen asleep. He obviously hadn't gotten that lucky.

"Thought you'd be asleep by now," he said softly beckoning her to come outside if she took the notion.

Aimee pushed the door open further and slipped out, allowing the screen door to snap close behind her. Gibbs saw her shiver in the coolness of the evening. The house was by far much warmer. He'd never gotten around to opening any windows during the day. He regretted that he hadn't. It would have been nice to exchange the stuffy air in his house.

"Where's Ness?"

"Sleeping on the sofa," came the soft reply.

Gibbs patted the spot beside him on the swing. "Wanna swing with me?"

Aimee kept her distance and shook her head. Gibbs accepted her aloofness. She didn't look as combative as before but he could tell she was still quite upset with him.

"Still angry with me?" he asked, swaying the swing a little faster subconsciously.

Aimee chewed her lip. "Why won't you let me see Andrew?" Her tone was accusatory.

Gibbs inhaled deeply searching his mind for a way to best approach the situation. Everything else he'd tried hadn't worked to convince her that Andrew was dead. He needed a new approach.

He stopped swinging and leaned forward resting his chin in his hands.

"You said you talked to Andrew today?"

She nodded, her eyes swimming in tears.

"Using my phone in my room, I assume?"

Again she nodded, unabashed.

Gibbs pinched his nose. "Think you can contact him again?"

Aimee blinked. This time she looked surprised. She chewed her lip thoughtfully then nodded.

"Okay. Go get my phone and let's talk to him together. I've spoken with him before and I agree with you, he's a nice guy."

Gibbs saw the look of skepticism flood Aimee's face. She wasn't a stupid kid by any means and Gibbs was not acting how she envisioned him to act.

"I'm serious. Go get it. It's on the table in the kitchen."

Aimee narrowed her eyes at him in such a way that he knew that she didn't trust him or that she knew he was up to something. Gibbs met her gaze with unwavering credibility. They locked eyes for several seconds before she relented and disappeared back inside. Within minutes, she returned with the phone and attempted to hand it to him but he pushed it back towards her.

"Nope, you contact him. Those fan dangle things just frustrate me. Go ahead."

Aimee kept her eyes on Gibbs for a few more seconds before dropping her gaze to the phone. As Gibbs watched, Abby started loading applications and swiping around the smartphone like an expert. He'd be the first to admit he was impressed with her knack at figuring out technology. Tim McGee put him in awe as well as well as Abby. He wasn't a dumb man but he had to admit, he hated technology. He knew he had to admit defeat and embrace it but every part of his being yearned to toss it out.

"What do I say to him?" muttered Aimee, her voice almost a whisper.

"Tell him that Agent Gibbs wants to talk to him but don't let him know I'm here right now. Make him think you're talking to him behind my back like before."

Aimee licked her bottom lip as she poked around on the small cell phone. Gibbs couldn't see exactly what she was doing but he could see enough. Aimee had entered some kind of playing room with a cartoon animal leading the way. The phone chirped and beeped as Aimee typed what looked like gibberish.

"Is Andrew there?" he asked.

Aimee's expression on her face was all the answer he needed. Someone had entered the room and was telling her he was Andrew. The only difference was Aimee didn't believe the man was dead. That put her at a great disadvantage. Gibbs silently rebuked himself for not telling her the truth earlier. He had no idea that something like this would transpire down the road. Gibbs watched as her fingers flew across the screen punching in her message. After a few moments, her face changed. Gibbs saw fear wash over her features.

"What is it, Aims? What's the matter?"

Aimee's jaw dropped in disbelief and she shook her head, but the phone dropped from her hands. She turned to run from him but Gibbs was faster. He grabbed her by the arm, turning her towards him and knelt to her level.

"What did Andrew say?" Gibbs held her forearms and looked deeply into her eyes.

All he could see was fear and trepidation. Holding her tightly with one arm, he grabbed the cell from the porch and read the words on the screen.

 _He will kill you. Run away!_

He shook his head. "No, it's a lie. I don't know who wrote that but it isn't true. I would never hurt you!"

Gibbs dropped the phone in his pocket, lifted her into his arms and sat back down on the swing with Aimee in his lap. He didn't dare let her go for fear she'd take off and he'd never find her again in the darkness of the evening. He felt her tense up and struggle in his arms, but he also knew she was bordering on exhaustion from all their earlier exploits. Her struggling was a weak attempt to escape and he knew it.

"It's a lie, Aimee! I won't ever hurt you."

"You already did!" She screamed and flung herself forward.

Gibbs held tightly. "How? How did I hurt you?"

"You hit me!" she spat.

Gibbs heaved a weary sigh. "Aimee, for crying out loud, I slapped your backside a couple of times. That's completely different." Gibbs bit his lip. There was no way he could explain the difference between discipline and hitting in her present state of mind. It wasn't the time or the place for a philosophical discussion. He felt a wave of exhaustion wash over him. He was beyond tired of fighting with her. He was emotionally spent as he was sure she was as well. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have smacked you, I was wrong."

"Andrew said-"

"Andrew is dead, Aimee! I don't know who that is on the phone but it's not Andrew. And even if it was, why would you trust him? Think about all he's done to you. He held you at gunpoint. He lied to you about your dad…"

Aimee angrily banged her head backward into his chest. Gibbs winced and lifted his chin to avoid getting hit.

"Andrew loves me. He-"

Gibbs shook her in frustration. "No! He lied to you, Aimee. Remember? Why do you think he's so trustworthy, huh? If he cared about you, he'd do everything he could to be with you. But he can't be with you because he's dead! But I'm not! I'm here. When have I lied to you? I have always kept my word. When I say something, I mean it. Stop pushing me away, Aims! I'm here and I'm not going anywhere!"

Aimee froze in his arms momentarily before going limp. Gibbs was caught by surprise and released his tight hold on her, looking at her to see if she was alright. In that moment, Aimee leaped out of his arms and bolted towards the darkness of the backyard. Fortunately, Gibbs was able to catch her around the waist before she got very far. He picked her up again and tossed her over his shoulder while she kicked and screamed. He walked her back to the porch swing and set her down gently, stooping down to her level. He kept her hands tight in his and reiterated his words. His voice was soft but firm.

"I'M. NOT. GOING. ANYWHERE." He said slowly, accentuating each word individually. "You can kick and scream and pitch a fit, but I'm still not leaving." His voice sounded stern in his own ears.

Tears cascaded down her red cheeks. He could feel her pulse racing in her wrists.

"You don't care about me," she whimpered.

Gibbs softened. "Oh, honey, I care about you more than you know." Gibbs closed his eyes and sat back on his heels. Aimee had no idea how much he cared about her. He had agonised for weeks about her and Janessa.

"You don't! Cuz if you did, you wouldn't be sending us away!"

Tears continued to follow the well laid out path on her cheeks. Gibbs held his breath. What could he say? The little girl in front of him had lost her whole world and didn't know who to believe or who to trust. He couldn't blame her for acting out and reacting badly. Everything she knew…all her securities were gone. But he couldn't keep them. He couldn't. It just wasn't feasible.

"Listen to me, Aims. I want you to hear well me on this, all right? Are you listening?"

Aimee trembled and nodded.

"I'm not gonna lie to you. I will never lie to you. You can count on that like you can count on the sun to rise in the morning. Honey, as much as I would love to make you my little girl, it wouldn't be fair to you or Janessa. You need a mommy and a daddy. I can't give you that, but I can promise to make sure you are safe and well cared for. You don't need to worry about the future because I've got your back. Okay?" Gibbs felt his heart racing in his chest. He felt like it was being ripped from him as he gasped for breath. He felt tears burn the back of his eyes. She was breaking his heart. The decision was ripping him to shreds.

Aimee closed her eyes and continued trembling under his fingertips. They sat like that, seemingly frozen in time: Gibbs blinking back hot tears and Aimee with her eyes tightly closed. In time, her body began to relax somewhat under his hold. She sniffled, making a weak attempt to free her hands by twisting her wrists and wiggling her fingers. Gibbs loosened his grip realising how tightly he was holding her. Her small voice finally broke the silence.

"Agent Gibbs?"

"Aimee."

"Is he really dead?"

Gibbs' heart melted at her soft words. Finally, he was getting somewhere. He released his hold on her altogether, stood up and sat beside her, pulling her into a tight embrace.

"I'm sorry, honey, but he is."

Aimee hid her face in his side and sobbed.

Gibbs held her and offered up a tentative prayer of thanksgiving and hope that she might have relented. He continued rocking the porch swing silently as she cried. After what seemed a long time, her sobs quieted and she hiccupped somberly.

"I believe you." Her voice was a whisper.

Gibbs managed a weak smile as relief washed over him.

"I'm so tired, Gibbs."

Gibbs brushed a hand over her head and nodded, resting his chin in her soft hair.

"Me too, Aims. Me too."

He leaned over and kissed her head.


	46. Chapter 46

Tony could feel the moisture on Mich Lin's hand as he held it tightly in his own. He didn't doubt she was nervous. She was a good agent but she was still young and green. Her height and small size made her indispensable in cases that involved children, but it also made her vulnerable and dependent on her co- workers. Tony didn't blame the young woman for feeling unsettled. His teeth were on edge just thinking about everything that could go wrong and he trusted his team. Mich Lin had volunteered to put her life in the hands of agents she hardly knew much less trusted. Without that connection and feeling of comradery, Tony felt sure the younger woman was feeling thrown off balance. Tony glanced down at her and squeezed her hand kindly. It made no difference to Tony whose team she belonged to; he was committed to make sure everyone got out in alive and in one piece, and he wanted her to feel secure in that knowledge. None of them could afford to make any mistakes. They had one shot at this.

"Relax and trust me," he whispered.

Mich Lin nodded in the darkness but he felt her arm tense up instead of relax. Tony inhaled deeply and kept walking towards the abandoned warehouse. He forced himself to not think of Abby who he'd had to leave behind in the caboose. His instincts had been bang on the money. Abby had been drugged…poisoned in fact. If he didn't follow through with bringing Aimee to the selected destination, Abby would die. The instructions had been just that simple. Aimee in exchange for Abby. He'd contacted NCIS and let them know so in case anything happened they could get to Abby. His gut told him it wouldn't matter. If she didn't get the antidote within the next hour, Abby would be dead. Tony hadn't known exactly what Brody and Fagan and whoever else was involved had planned, but he was bright enough to know that it wouldn't be that easy to free Abby. She was a pawn in their game and there was no way they were letting a valuable piece free without getting what they wanted. They needed a bargaining chip otherwise they had no leverage. Abby was just that.

The part that made everything so complicated was that Abby was one person. Sure, Aimee was one person too, but things weren't that simple. Brody didn't just want his daughter back because he loved her and wanted them to be together. No. It couldn't be that simple. Tony didn't know exactly what the deal was but his instincts told him that Aimee represented a lot more than he knew. A lot more than any of them knew. Except Brody. And Fagan. And whoever else was calling the shots.

Tony and Mich Lin approached the outside of the warehouse and stopped just outside the entrance. Tony scanned the area, searching for movement. He needed to be alert and on his game. There was no room for mistakes. His breath caught in his throat as he momentarily closed his eyes and drew a mental picture in his mind of where Tim and Ziva stood. Poised. At the Ready. They had his back.

"Show yourself, Brody!" shouted Tony into the darkness.

The door to the warehouse slid opened loudly and a lone figure walked out, fully armed.

"Give me the kid, DiNozzo!"

Tony instinctively pulled Mich Lin closer to him, pulling her partially behind him to shield her. Her small stature made him feel more protective than it should. He rebuked himself quickly and reminded himself that she was a trained agent and not a child. His instinct made things look believable at any rate.

"Not until we talk."

The figure came closer and Tony narrowed his eyes in the moonlight. The stature of the man in front of him did not represent David Brody. Tony couldn't help but feel discouraged. Part of him always hoped things would be easier than he expected. He was never so lucky.

"Once I have the kid, I'll give you the antidote for Miss Sciuto. The clock is ticking Agent DiNozzo. Each minute that you waste is one step closer to brain damage. I don't think you want to risk that. Miss Sciuto is a brilliant woman. It would be a shame to waste that intelligence."

Tony saw movement out of the corner of his eye, and he subconsciously drew in a deep breath. He could hear his pulse pounding in his ears as he took a few more steps forward. Mich Lin's hand was cold with sweat, and he had to actually yank forcefully to prod her forward. He could almost smell her fear.

"You peg me for stupid, Fagan?"

The man stopped suddenly.

"Yah, I know it's you, Fagan. I know who you are, and I know what you are. My question is does Brody know what game you're playing?"

Fagan raised his weapon and took aim at Mich Lin. In the darkness, Tony couldn't make out what it was, but he expected it. Fagan was not a stupid man either.

"Shut up, DiNozzo! Just hand over the girl!"

"Drop the gun! There's no way you're gonna risk hurting the kid when you want her so badly! Where's Brody? Maybe he should hear exactly what you're up to? He should know what kind of game you are playing with his daughter's life!" Tony's voice elevated as he ended his final words. He knew Brody was close. His best chance to get Brody to come out was to plant some uncertainty in his mind. Perhaps appeal to some part of him that might feel something for Aimee.

A flurry of gunshots went off skimming the ground directly in front of them. Tony felt Mich Lin flinch but to her credit, she didn't move but only whimpered on cue. The tiny hairs on the back of his neck stood up on end when he heard her cries. Tony wasn't sure if she was feigning fear or not by the sound of the mournful wail. He squeezed her hand comfortingly.

"I don't need her alive, you moron! Give me the damned kid!"

Tony felt the shiver that radiated through Mich Lin, and he shuddered, both at the thought of a small child being placed in the hands of a lunatic like Fagan and at the rage in the man's voice. The trouble was Tony didn't know what exactly Fagan wanted with Aimee. It deeply disturbed him that the guy didn't seem to care if she was alive or dead. It was sickening.

"I know you're lingering close, Brody!" shouted Tony. "Don't you want to know how Fagan's been playing you for a fool since the beginning of this? In fact, maybe he's been the one reporting straight to Stratton all along."

"Shut-up!" screamed Fagan taking a few more dangerous steps closer. "That's a load of crap and you know it!"

Tony counted the steps in his head. He took note of everyone's position in his head. He knew Ziva would have Fagan in her target range by now. If only Brody would step out. Taking out Fagan would just be icing on the cake and one less nuisance to contend with later.

Mich Lin started to cry even louder setting Tony's teeth on edge. Damn, she was good.

"Listen to your poor daughter, Brody. Have a goddamned heart! She's terrified. She's just a little girl, for Pete's sake. She has no idea what this is about. Come on out, you coward! Show yourself!"

More shots were fired. This time they were dangerously close to Mich Lin. Tony drew the agent behind his back fully this time and as if on cue, she wailed louder. Tony's eyes widened. It was uncanny how much she sounded like a frightened child. It was making him feel extremely disconcerted as if she was indeed a little kid.

"Back off, Fagan!" A voice shouted out from the upper window of the warehouse.

Tony's attention went to the shadow in the window. He recognised the figure immediately as the director of the FBI. He'd met the man on numerous occasions and he also knew how much Gibbs disliked the man. Tony never had a feeling one way or the other, mostly because he didn't care, but now a deep, seething anger raged within him. Brody was worse than pond scum in his not so humble opinion. Anyone who put the life of a child on the line was beyond saving. His life was worth nothing.

"Don't listen to the idiot, Brody!" shouted Fagan taking more threatening steps towards Tony. Tony stepped backward and kept one eye on the shadow.

Several shots were fired in the darkness. Tony saw the muzzle flash in the pitch of the night. Fagan froze and turned his attention to the upper window.

"What the hell?" he screamed.

"I said back off, Fagan. The next shot will be in the back of your head!"

Tony grimaced. He didn't know what to think. Brody began to pace back and forth across the window. Time seemed to stand still as Fagan and Tony stood at a standstill, both waiting for Brody's next move. The only sound to be heard was Mich Lin's sniffling and whimpering from behind Tony. When everything was said and done, Tony was planned to take the woman out to dinner and buy her a bouquet of flowers. She by far deserved it for her Academy performance as a terrified nine-year-old.

"Give the child to Fagan, DiNozzo. You have my word that no harm will befall her. The clock is ticking and your forensic scientist needs the antidote that Fagan has on his person. It is best that you cooperate. I have several men with their guns trained on you. If you do not comply in the next five minutes, we will take her by force," said Brody with a great deal of authority, probably the same authority he used when he was director. Tony narrowed his eyes. The guy was a certified psychopath.

"If you want her, Brody, get her yourself. Come down and look your daughter in the eye and tell her what you want to do with her!" Tony voice rang out loudly in the quiet of the night. He was surprised how calm he sounded despite how much rage was boiling inside him. The growing tension seeped into his muscles and bones; no matter how much he attempted to mentally divert himself, the pressure building inside him did not abate. He waited on baited breath for Brody to respond.

Fagan was getting edgy waiting. He rocked back and forth on his heels and his weapon was swinging in the air making Tony uneasy.

A red dot blinked on the top of his right dress shoe. Morse code. Tony recognised it immediately. Ziva had a clear shot of Brody. She was asking to take him out. Tony knew Ziva would not miss. The plan was set. If she got Brody, he could get Fagan. It would not get them Stratton but it might just save Abby. The simple movement of his foot set off a burst of gunfire that he never expected. It seemed to come from every direction. Tony grabbed Mich Lin and hit the ground hard. Once they touched the ground, they both rolled onto their sides and opened fire on Fagan. The man collapsed to the ground and before Tony could stop her, Mich Lin was on her feet and running towards Fagan's still form.

"What are you doing?" he shouted at her.

"Getting the antidote," came her terse response.

Tony groaned irritably at her recklessness. There was no way she was thinking clearly.

Just as she made it to Fagan's side, another gunman came out of the shadows with a flurry of gunfire. Mich Lin dropped to the ground with a dull, sickening thud. Tony felt his heart jump to his throat. He gained his footing quickly but before he could do anything, the unknown gunman scooped up Mich Lin's lifeless body and disappeared into the darkness once more.

Tony cursed. Scanning his surroundings and trusting his gut, he scrambled to Fagan's side and felt for a pulse. The man was dead. Feeling his heart pounding in his chest, he began to search the man for the antidote for Abby. He found nothing. Glancing up towards the window where Brody had stood, he saw nothing. Either Brody was gone or Ziva got him. If he was a betting man, his money was on Ziva.


	47. Chapter 47

_**Author's Note:**_

 ** _Updates are slow...but I promise to finish this story :)_**

 ** _P.S Cyansickle41 is my made up toxin because like as the author I can do stuff like that *giggle*_**

The shootout and its aftermath were playing on television.

"I thought you wanted to lay low for a while."

"No time like the present. Strike while the iron's hot."

There was silence in the room as the clip ran to completion.

"I think you're crazy to try and take on NCIS." It was a quiet assessment, already made before, and said more for reflection than for discussion.

"I wanted Percy, but he's dead. This is his fault, not mine. He is the one who made my daughter a scapegoat. He's the one who made her into a living computer chip." His voice was void of emotion.

"Killing her would be easier, Brody. Certainly less complicated."

"My kid, my choice. Gibbs doesn't get to have my happy ending. I want to rip his heart from his chest."

The other man seemed to ponder Brody's words. He clicked off the television set with the remote. He stood up from his chair and crossed the room to pour himself a drink.

"Understandable. But isn't his forensic scientist, Miss Sciuto enough? We're going to have to wait a while longer than planned. Fagan managed to mess up months of planning because he got jittery."

Brody, sprawled comfortably in the seat across from him, smiled.

"Rather than delay any further, we need to step up our game. Gibbs is going to be right where I want him after his lab rat dies." Brody chuckled gleefully.

"What about the agent?"

"Mulligan is _questioning_ her as we speak."

The man grimaced and downed a second glass of gin. "We can't move things up. It would mean…"

"Getting cold feet?"

"Who do you want to get more, Brody? Gibbs or Stratton?" The man set his glass on the table with more force than intended, anger gripping his features. The contents of the glass spilled over. "You need to figure that out because we can't afford to make any mistakes."

"Why can't I have both?" The smile melted from his face.

The anger drained from the other man's face. "I just don't want to get caught."

"Relax. Gibbs is going to give us everything we want."

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Tony looked despondent.

That realisation took Gibbs by surprise. He had been braced for unbridled anger; prepared, if he wasn't angry, to see rigid control hiding his thoughts. He hadn't anticipated seeing such raw emotions from his second in command up close and personal. Halfway across the room, he could feel the emotions radiating off of him. With his head downcast, attention to the floor, Tony paced in three feet of open real estate like a caged tiger. Despair dripping from him like sweat.

Tony hadn't seen him yet, and he was momentarily glad for that. Gibbs had a lot to digest himself. He was trying to decide if he was angry at the man pacing in front of him or proud of him. Tony authorised a tricky maneuver and it did it flawlessly. Gibbs was proud of that. There was no way he would have done anything differently. Tony had thought of everything. But going up against David Brody was sheer stupidity. The man had been trained by the best. There wasn't a play in the book the guy didn't know and some of them the son of bitch authored himself. Tony shouldn't have tried to go out on his own. Now Abby lay dying as a result.

Gibbs forced himself to shake off the blame game. None of it was Tony's fault. The downcast man in front of him did everything by the book and then some. He was to be commended. Abby's current situation sucked big time, but it wasn't Tony's fault. How the hell did Abby get in this position? He'd warned her again and again that she was still not safe. His gut screamed at him that the case wasn't over and no one was safe. Abby ignored him. She lied to his face. If he wasn't so worried about her if she didn't lie fighting for her life…the thoughts faded. None of that mattered now. Abby just needed to fight this and survive.

Ziva came up behind him, carrying a cup of hot coffee.

"Abby is still with the doctors, Gibbs. We do not know anything more than we told you." Gibbs accepted the hot beverage and nodded. He knew things didn't look good. He just didn't want to allow himself too much time to wallow in what-ifs. This wasn't the time.

"What do we know about Brody?"

"We scrounged the whole area this morning. There is no sign of Brody or anyone else. Fagan is the only fatality. Ducky and Palmer are doing an autopsy at NCIS."

"No sign of the antidote?"

Ziva shook her head.

Tony looked up from his current job of wearing a hole in the linoleum and saw Gibbs before Ziva could say anything further. Gibbs watched his expression change, harden, and then clear. Gibbs buried a sigh. So much for wondering how Tony would react to seeing him. The younger man was blaming himself enough for everyone.

Gibbs moved past Ziva to join Tony.

"Gibbs." He did not look pleased to see him, but Gibbs tried not to take it personally. The waiting area had become like Grand Central station, and it was obvious how that frustrated Tony. He needed not to see more people staring at him. He needed space. As a cop, that would be even truer than for someone else. For the same reason, Tony and every other cop or agent would sit in a restaurant with his back to the wall to keep people in front of him, Tony would be looking for space around him now. But Gibbs knew it was more than that.

A doctor walked into the lounge, walking up to Tony first.

"Mr. Sciuto?"

Gibbs stepped forward. "No." His voice came out more annoyed than he meant it to be. "I mean there is no Mr. Sciuto. I am Agent Jethro Gibbs, Abby's boss. How is she?"

The doctor hesitated. "I'm sorry, Agent Gibbs, but I can only relay information to the family."

Tim spoke up from the back of the room. His voice just as forceful as Gibbs had been. "We are her family!"

The doctor looked startled as Ziva, Tony, Tim, and Gibbs all nodded in agreement. As the doctor pondered his choices, Jenny Shephard hurried into the room, her heels clipping on the linoleum like a vexed school teacher.

"As the director of NCIS, I demand you tell us what is going on with Miss Sciuto. This is a government and military situation!" The authority in Jenny's voice seemed to impress everyone in the room including the doctor.

Satisfied he pulled the chart from under his arm. "Miss Sciuto has been infected with a very powerful toxin called Cyansickle41. It is a neurotoxin believed to slowly seep into the central cortex of the brain and if not treated within 48-72 hours will slowly and painfully shut down all the internal organs while severely brain damaging the host."

Gibbs' mouth grew dry. Cyansickle41. He had only heard it once before and that was during the Vietnam War. While Gibbs didn't fight in that war personally, he knew of friends whose fathers and uncles died. Casualties of war. Chosen to die as part of heinous experiments. Cyansickle41 was first created to aid in fighting cancer. Injected into hosts to kill the cancerous tumors in the brain. The unseen side effect of the drug was it shut down the host's internal organs faster than it killed the tumors in the brain. Testing of the drug was thrown out and all of it destroyed. But, of course, that's never how things work in the real world. In the real world, there was always money to be made and always someone out to make a fast buck.

"How long has she got?" asked Tony, bringing Gibbs back to the room.

The doctor blanched. "24 hours at best. 12 hours or less at worst. I'm sorry. Without the antidote, we won't be able to save her."

Jenny stepped forward again. "Don't you have an antidote on hand?" Her voice was incredulous.

"Cyansickle41 was supposed to have been all destroyed. The only ones that might have an antidote is the CDC in their level 4 biosafety Lab."

Tony scoffed. "Just like smallpox was supposed to be eradicated yet six vials of the freeze-dried virus, apparently dating from the 1950s, were found by a scientist from the Food and Drug Administration in July in a cold storage room that was originally part of an NIH laboratory, but was transferred to FDA in the early 1970s."

The doctor looked bewildered at the classified information.

Jenny looked mortified. Gibbs shot her a look to calm down.

Gibbs stepped forward and placed a firm hand on Tony's shoulder causing him to shudder under the touch. Some things had to remain confidential. It was part of their job as government agents. Tony knew that. Seeping classified information into the public domain only served to create panic and make already complicated situations more convoluted. Tony made eye contact with Gibbs momentarily, looking defeated and apologetic. Gibbs allowed a brief smile to touch his lips. Just a little compassion to his oldest to let him know he wasn't alone and he wasn't being blamed. Tony seemed to relax under his touch and that enabled Gibbs to relax a little as well.

"Has the CDC been notified?"

The doctor looked offended. "Of course, Agent Gibbs. I assure you that everything has been handled with the utmost professionalism and decorum. That is all I know. Miss Sciuto is awake and able to have one visitor at a time. I caution you to keep it short. She is going to need all her strength to combat this poison until an antidote arrives."

The doctor looked down at his chart once more, a grim expression on his face.

"It would be wrong of me to give you any false hope. Time is of the essence. If the CDC doesn't have the antidote then I'm afraid…"

Gibbs raised his hand cutting the man off.

"The CDC has it." Gibbs knew they did. The trouble wasn't if they had it. The issue was if they were willing to use it for Abby. The usage would create a media frenzy. The question was how much the government was willing to do that. Gibbs risked a look at Jenny. Her expression told him that her thoughts were travelling in the same direction. They had no assurances.

The doctor nodded. "Yes, of course." He managed a weak smile and excused himself from the room.

Gibbs saw Tony's countenance tumble further into despair.

"Give me your keys, DiNozzo!"

Tony's head popped up. "Boss?"

Gibbs held out his hand. "Keys!"

Tony narrowed his eyes and reluctantly handed the keys to his car to Gibbs.

Gibbs placed his hand on his shoulder, feeling a slight tremor. His suspicions were right on the money. Tony had heaped all the blame upon himself. Abby predicament as well as Mich Lin's. Unfortunately, Gibbs didn't have time to deal with it now. Tony would need to simmer in his own emotions, but Gibbs was going to make damned sure he would do it here where he couldn't go off and do anything stupid.

Gibbs made eye contact with Tim. "McGee, stay with Tony. Don't let him out of your sight."

Tim furrowed a perplexed brow but nodded.

Jenny scowled at him but said nothing.

Tony opened his mouth to protest.

"Stay put, DiNozzo."

"Boss…"

Gibbs gripped the younger man's shoulder more firmly. "I mean it. Stay." Tony's chin dropped to his chest. "Ziver, with me."

Gibbs turned on his heel and left the room. He needed to see Abby first before he did anything else. He needed to see with his own eyes that his girl was still alive. He needed that.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

When he saw Abby for the first time connected to life support and laying so still in the hospital bed, Gibbs felt his heart squeeze—the fear was invading. He had to force himself to breathe. He couldn't let that fear overwhelm him. He had to remain positive. Abby was his girl and she was going to beat this, just like Tony beat all odds and survived the pneumonic plaque. His kids were fighters. He knew that. He'd taught them to be fighters.

Gibbs heard Ziva gasp from behind him. She was equally as taken aback. Gibbs saw Ziva's hands trembling and he saw how quickly she attempted to hide that from him. His jaw tightened as he walked into the room closer to Abby. Ziva remained in the doorway, honouring the doctor's words of only one guest at a time. Abby didn't seem to notice their presence. Gibbs didn't think it was possible for Abby to look anymore pale than she was naturally but there she lay ghostly white. Even her lips lacked any colour.

Gibbs put his hand on her damp brow. How could he keep her safe when he couldn't even figure out what to protect her from? Why the hell was she being targeted? And was it going to end now that Fagan was dead? His emotions were ping-ponging back and forth between angst and anger. A little part of him wanted to shake her for being so stupid. She put herself in such danger by not coming to him and telling him about Fagan. Why the hell didn't she tell him more about the man?

"Gibbs." Abby's weak voice croaked his name. Her eyes fluttered and she turned her head to look at him. Tears filled her eyes and cascaded down her red cheeks. "I'm s-sorry." Her lips quivered.

Gibbs hushed her and wiped away her tears with his thumb. "Don't talk, Abbs. Just rest."

"He said Aimee was still in danger. H-he said I needed t-to h-help…" Her voice cracked and tears wracked her body.

Gibbs stroked her head gently. "Stop." His voice was stern and commanding. He did not want to go into details just then. It would only make him angry and right now Abby needed him calm.

"Gibbs." Her voice quaked.

He shook his head. "You need to fight this, Abby. You need all your strength. I have faith you can do this. Just concentrate on getting better."

"Aimee."

He squeezed her hand firmly. "She's fine. I mean it, young lady, zip it. No more talking." He pressed a kiss on her brow and Abby's eyes fluttered closed.

"You're gonna be okay, kid. Just rest now." He continued stroking her head tenderly as his mind ran over all he knew about Brody. Abby seemed to relax under his fingertips, her face becoming more peaceful. This brought a measure of relief to Gibbs, allowing his own heart rate to still just a little.

David Brody.

Just what the hell was he thinking? He was supposed to be handpicked by the goddamned President of the United States for crying out loud. He was supposed to…

Gibbs closed his eyes and attempted to bring his thought process under control. Illogical thought and all that was holy and good was not going to change the course of events. Things were what they were. Brody had obviously gone off the deep end and had his own agenda. He wasn't going to be predictable or rational. That was what made him so dangerous. The man was brilliant and trained in every possible situation.

Gibbs turned to Ziva who was still standing in the doorway.

"Stay with her, Ziver. I need to know that she won't be alone."

Ziva's eyes widened as she stepped further into the room.

"What are you going to do?"

"Make sure Tim doesn't let Tony out of his sight."

"Gibbs, where are you going?"

Gibbs started to walk from the room. Ziva followed him.

"Gibbs!"

Gibbs did not stop but continued out of the room down the hallway to the elevator.


	48. Chapter 48

**A/N**

 **Hey Friendly readers,**

 **My family is still struggling with health issues...everyone is sick but myself. My poor husband and son have bronchitis now. Life is a bowl full of cherries. I'm trying not to get discouraged. What on earth is going on with this weather?**

 **Anyway, here is another chapter for your enjoyment.**

 **Happy Reading. Reviews will make me smile :)**

 **Blessings,**

 **Jenny Wrens**

Timing.

Yes, it was going to be critical. He needed to stay focused and not allow himself to be distracted. He took a deep breath and felt the relief of being back in a role he knew how to deal with. The pressure and stress of parenting was taking a toll on him. Most of the time, he had no idea what he was doing or how to deal with Aimee's meltdowns. He felt like he was flying by the seat of his pants most days and failing miserably. Gibbs' hands tightened on the steering wheel as he attempted to clear his head and focus on the matter at hand. He went through what he knew about Brody. David Brody was shrewd. The whole investigation had been flooded with red herrings from the beginning. Brody had so skillfully manipulated data, and diverted resources in the early days of the investigation, buying time to cover his tracks while everyone's attention was elsewhere. The guy was so obviously a skilled manipulator on so many levels. There was a reason why he stood out among his predecessors as one of the best FBI directors the bureau ever had.

Gibbs absently worried his lip. Brody counted on people trusting him; of course, no one would even dream the director of the FBI would be spearheading a conspiracy. And to what end? Gibbs resisted the urge to pound his fist on the steering wheel. There was no way he was going to be content to sit by and allow those he loved to become collateral damage to a lunatic like Brody. As it was, Gibbs wasn't sure how Aimee was going to bounce back from everything that had occurred in her life, no thanks to Brody. The man had singlehandedly managed to use his own flesh and blood for his own agenda. And why? For what purpose? Gibbs felt like if he knew even an infinitesimal bit of the why, it might help him deal with things on some level. As things stood, he didn't and it made him bitterly angry.

Gibbs continued to mull over what he knew about everything as he drove. He was a man with a mission, hell bent on putting things to an end. As he headed to his intended destination, his cell phone jumped to life.

"Gibbs." He kept his eyes firmly fixed on the road as he spoke.

"Jethro, why did you leave the hospital?"

"I don't have time to explain, Jenn. What do you want?"

Gibbs could hear her gasp at his gruff reply.

"What do you plan to do?"

"You don't need to know."

"The hell I don't! Jethro, you are not authorised to go off half-cocked with a-"

"Jenn, I'm not asking." His voice was deadpan.

Gibbs heard her loud intake of breath. He envisioned her face reddening and her pursed lips.

"Jethro, be reasonable!" Her voice had raised several octaves. He took her anger for what it was, fear. He knew she didn't like it when he went over her head and kept her out of the loop, whether it be personally or professionally and there'd be hell to pay when everything was said and done. Gibbs felt a small ghost of a smile pass his lips. He might have been turned on under different circumstances. He almost looked forward to the altercation. Jenny was a spitfire and he loved that about her.

"I'm hanging up, Jenn, unless-"

"Ducky found the antidote," she blurted out, just a little bit of venom spilling out.

Gibbs felt his heart jump to his throat.

"Where?"

"Fagan swallowed the vial whole. Ducky thinks the guy panicked when the weapon assault ensued, and he swallowed it to keep it from us."

Gibbs eyes widened. Nothing surprised him anymore. He'd seen it all. Perps had swallowed evidence, stuffed drugs up their asses and just about anything else deplorable you could think of. In this case, all he needed to know was if the vial was still useful.

"Is it-"

"It's on its way to the trauma unit as we speak. Abby's gonna make it, Gibbs."

This time it was Gibbs' turn to let out a deep, audible sigh of relief. Abby was going to live. His Abbs was going to survive. He silently said a prayer of thanks to whoever was in charge of things in the world. Now if he lived through the day, he could shake the living snot out of her and make her promise to never do anything so reckless and stupid ever again. He'd lock her in her room until he was too senile to remember where he put the key if he had too.

"Gibbs, Abby is going to need you. Come back-"

"Bye, Jenn."

Gibbs pulled the phone from his ear and did the one thing he told his agents to never do, upon pain of death. He turned off his cell. He couldn't afford to be distracted. He would be unreachable until this thing was finished.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Tony's face blanched as he lowered his cell from his ear. Damn if this day didn't just keep getting better and better. He felt a shiver crawl up his spine and did his best to put on his best poker face. He could see Tim staring at him curiously.

"I'm gonna use the head," said Tony, slipping his cell back into his side pocket.

Tim stood to his feet. "Who was on the phone, Tony?"

Tony began to walk from the waiting area, but Tim blocked his exit.

"Who was it, Tony?"

"Back off, McNosey." Tony raised his voice much louder than he intended causing Tim to look at him even more suspiciously. Tony sucked in a deep breath to calm his heart rate down and to help him think concretely. Dragging Tim or Ziva into this wasn't something he was prepared to do. Abby was already seriously injured. He didn't want anyone else close to him in the line of fire, and the last thing he needed was McSpidey's senses tingling. The younger man would immediately contact Gibbs and that was not something he wanted to deal with right now. He already had enough on his plate as it was.

"It was my father if you must know!" Tony allowed his voice to sound wounded. Everyone knew how a call from his father, Anthony DiNozzo Sr., could make him irrational and on edge, even under the best of circumstances.

Tim continued to look at him questionably for several more moments before softening and taking a few steps back.

"Everything alright?" The normal, friendly concerned little brother look adorned his face as the suspiciousness seeped away.

Tony heaved a sigh. "He wants to stay with me for a few days. Seems like he's down on his luck yet again. I told him it wasn't a good time right now and as usual, he took it personally."

Tim nodded sympathetically. They were all used to Senior's exploits turning out poorly and Tony picking up the pieces. Sometimes, it was as simple as financial help but it was always emotionally draining to Tony.

"He could always stay with Gibbs again." Tim cast him a mischievous smirk that Tony couldn't help joining in on. The last time his father had stayed with Gibbs, Tony felt sure Gibbs was going to kill the man out of sheer annoyance. Tony always felt some kind of sick satisfaction knowing that Gibbs wouldn't let his father away with any of his normal shenanigans, especially when it came to the emotional manipulation the man was so gifted at.

"Don't even tempt me, McGee. Gibbs might be a pain in the ass sometimes but even he doesn't deserve that kind of torture, especially with Aimee around. She manages to torment Gibbs enough for all of us."

Tim chuckled and nodded.

Tony continued to walk out of the waiting area and then stopped. Keys. He needed his damned keys or he wouldn't be able to go anywhere.

"Throw me my keys, McNanny."

Tim looked guarded. "You don't need your keys to use the men's room, Tony."

Tony rolled his eyes in response. "No duh, Probie. I want to get some real coffee. That stuff in the cafeteria is worse than pig swill." Tony looked at Tim in annoyance. "Keys, please, or are you going to make me beg?"

Tim sighed reaching into his side pocket and tossing the keys to him. "Grab me a Latte while you're at it. You owe me."

Tony rolled his eyes as he caught the keys midair, waved an annoyed hand in response and walked away. Once he rounded the corner, he walked straight past the washrooms towards the front exit. He stopped at the front doors to briefly ponder his next move. If Gibbs knew what he was about to do, the man would skin him alive at best or kill him at worst. Shaking off the thought, Tony sought out his car.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Gibbs pressed his back against the wall and strained his ears to hear the conversation from the room beside him. It was as he suspected. Brody had always been cocky. It was probably his worst flaw. Gibbs had been around enough to know that you should never be so sure of yourself that you stop watching your back. Gibbs knew people and those people knew people and those people knew even more people. Good, bad, evil, heinous…none of that mattered when you needed information. For the right price, people could be bought. Or threatened. Whatever the case may be. Gibbs wasn't above or below hitting low or high to get what he needed. It was what made him good at what he did or dangerous, depending on how you looked at it. Brody had as many enemies as Gibbs did, if not more. It just took the right amount of cajoling and Gibbs had Brody.

"What are we waiting for, Brody?" The man's voice sounded nervous. "My Intel says the girl's with Gibb's elderly neighbour."

"Yep." Brody sounded distracted.

"So we get the kid and then what?"

A long pause. Gibbs stiffened. Aimee. They had to be talking about Aimee. Gibbs had left Janessa and Aimee with Mrs. Buchannan, his neighbour. Not that he didn't have an army of agents posted to keep them safe. He wasn't so naive to believe any of them were safe. But a whole legion of angels sent from heaven wouldn't stop Brody or Stratton for that matter, from achieving what they desired. And for some reason, it all involved Aimee.

"We get what we need to take down Stratton."

Another long pause. Gibbs chewed on his lip. A cell phone rang.

"Brody."

Gibbs strained to hear more. He couldn't help but feel like he was running behind schedule and Gibbs could feel the danger in that. The building had too many glass windows and doors to allow him much privacy to sneak up undetected. The element of surprise was something he wanted to use to his advantage, but he didn't want to wait until nightfall to take down Brody. He wanted him in broad daylight, and he wanted him alive.

It was time to move.

Gibbs slid himself along the wall and gripped his weapon tightly in his hand. He couldn't hear Brody speaking anymore which told him the man had left the room to seek privacy. Gibbs silently picked the lock and entered the room with ninja-like precision. This wasn't his first rodeo, and he was going to make damned sure it wouldn't be his last either.

"Room Service." Gibb's voice startled the man in the room who spun around but never had a chance to say a word before Gibbs took him out. Expendable Crewman, guilty by association and Gibbs couldn't take the time to feel guilty. He couldn't afford it. There would be time to beat himself up later.

Gibbs crept forward cautiously. He could hear Brody's voice coming from the bedroom. It was a good day for a sniper, and Gibbs was one hell of a marksman. He envisioned the man behind the door and raised his weapon high.

The door opened suddenly and Brody's face blanched when he saw Gibbs.

"What the hell…how did…" The words died on his lips.

Gibbs did not hesitate but fired his weapon. The bullet hit the man in the shoulder, knocking him hard to the floor. Gibbs took the opportunity to rush to the man's side and pointed his weapon in his face.

"You're a bastard, Gibbs."

"Tell me what you know about Stratton."

Brody laughed and then grimaced.

"You're a fool, Agent Gibbs, if you think I'm going to tell you anything. You're not going to kill me. You need me alive to find Stratton."

Gibbs narrowed his eyes, his face deadpan. No one dared play poker with him. His expressions were unreadable. He'd spent many years perfecting his control. Probably part of the reason he had three ex-wives. The only woman who could see past his defenses was Shannon. Well, and now Jenny. Damn if that didn't drive him crazy.

"Time to tell me what the hell kind of game you're playing, Brody."

Brody shoved the barrel of Gibb's gun away from his face and sat up, putting pressure on his wound. Gibbs took several steps backward but kept his gun trained on the man.

"You're one hell of a shot. Fornell wasn't kidding when he told me you were a sniper. Told me you could take a man out in the blink of an eye. I've read your file a few times. Thought of bringing you into the bureau myself, but back then Morrow told me to go to hell. Said you were one of his best agents he'd ever set eyes on and had hopes you'd replace him when he left." Brody chuckled and rose to his feet, keeping his eyes on Gibbs. "Course, then I heard a woman took the spot when you turned them down." Brody whistled in such a way that Gibbs' teeth were set on edge. "If she ain't a looker, huh?"

"Enough," hissed Gibbs, the warning in his voice was blatant enough for a deaf person not to miss.

"Don't be pissed, Gibbs. This isn't personal, you know."

Brody kept his hand on his shoulder and winced a few times as he walked towards the liquor at the bar. He pulled the lid off the jar and poured himself a drink. "Want any?"

Gibbs felt his temper percolate past the boiling point into evaporation. It was actually a relief. Feeling the anger evaporate made him better able to evaluate things. Brody was a cocky son of a bitch, and that gave Gibbs a sense of peace. Arrogance always tripped itself up. He just needed to be patient and wait. A smug smirk dusted Gibbs lips at the thought. He'd been around enough to know how the game worked. Brody was playing by the book and that made him almost predictable.

"Where does Aimee play into this?" Gibbs took several more steps forward, not letting his guard down or his weapon.

Brody took a drink and grimaced. "Percy was the one who used her. Don't get all high and mighty on me. I didn't even know Rebekah was pregnant when I left her. Leaving her or any woman is just for the best, Gibbs. I know you know that. Marriage doesn't bode well for agents."

Gibbs leaned against the wall, reminding himself to not engage.

"Stratton tore Aimee's family apart limb by limb, Brody! What was he looking for?"

Brody looked amused. "The same thing we all want, Agent Gibbs. Don't tell me you don't even know what it all comes down too? Are you really that thick? Maybe I was wrong about you."

Gibbs stuffed down the inclination to blow the bastard away. He seriously did not need the headache.

 _He's goading you, Jethro._

For some reason, Jenny's voice seemed to pop into his head. If he hadn't been so amused by it, he would have been pissed. His mind was playing tricks on him.

"Enlighten me, Brody." Gibbs kept his voice soft and even. He knew and a part of him found it just a tad bit amusing that Brody thought he didn't.

"It's simple. We bring Stratton what he wants and then I kill him."

Gibbs was incredulous. A thousand things flew through his mind in that moment, none the least was the realization that Brody was delusional.

Playing it cool, Gibbs replied, "So, where is he, and what does he want?"

Brody sneered as an obvious wave of pain washed over him. "He wants Aimee."

"She's a little girl, Brody. Your own flesh and blood. I don't give a shit that you don't know her on a personal level. She's a damned kid for Pete's sake." Gibbs paused to force himself to calm down. He was losing his grip and there was no way he wasn't going to risk losing it now. "You've had a vendetta against human trafficking since before you joined the bureau…"

"Stratton heads up the whole damned thing here in the United States. Don't you get it? Aimee holds the entire database on that microchip embedded in her head. We get our hands on that and we can overturn an entire organization and save millions of lives. We have the ability to stop human trafficking in the United States, Agent Gibbs and we have the names of the biggest players behind the scenes. We can make every single one of the bastards suffers for what they've done."

Gibbs felt his heart pound in his chest. "And what about your daughter? Removing that chip will kill her, don't you get that?"

Brody stood tall, dropping his blood-covered hand to his side. "An unfortunate causality of war. You served in Desert Storm, did you not?" Gibbs couldn't help but flinch. "Then you know that sacrifices must be made for the greater good."

Gibbs felt his hands trembling. Damn if he didn't know already know sacrifice. He'd lost everything that every meant anything to him. He'd given up happiness and joy in his life in order to do his duty. He'd spent the last twenty years trying to pick up the pieces. To hell with duty and the greater good. Even if they could rid the world of every single evil person that had anything to do with human trafficking, they would never be able to stop it from occurring. It was as fleeting as the air around them and as long as money made the world go 'round, someone else would be there to take over from where it all stopped. They would never put an end to it. They could strive to make the world a better place and punish the evil, but something had to give. Somehow there had to be a breaking point. There had to be a point when you put your foot down and said enough. There had to be an end to the personal sacrifices.

"Not anymore, Brody."

Brody looked up, confusing flooding his face. "What?"

"There isn't going to be any more sacrifices, at least not from people I care about."

Brody's face reddened and he took a menacing step forward. "Who the hell are you to make that decision, you son of a bitch!"

Gibbs raised his weapon once more. "I'm only going to ask you one more time, Brody. Where is Stratton?"

Brody looked at him in disbelief. "Or what?"

"It's simple. You tell me where Stratton is and I let you walk away. You can take your chances with the District Attorney. Don't tell me and I blow your brains out. Makes no never mind to me. I won't rest until I find the lunatic. It'll take me longer and more people are gonna get hurt, but I'll do what I have to do to keep Aimee safe. Her life means something whether you think so or not, and I'm not letting you make her some kind of martyr for a cause that will never EVER go away. You don't throw your kid under the bus for your own obsession, Brody. Human trafficking has been around since the beginning of time and it will be here until we blow ourselves up. Aimee is not going to be some casualty of war to make you a hero! Not on my watch!"

Gibbs fingered the trigger and watched at Brody squirmed and debated on his words. No jury would fault Gibbs for blowing the imbecile away. As it stood the man would be lucky not to get the death penalty for all the crimes he'd committed. Gibbs cocked his gun and stepped closer to Brody.

Brody blanched. "You crazy son of…"

"Where the hell is Stratton?" Gibbs' voice boomed out across the room, his eyes falling briefly on the dead man on the floor. In that moment, he had never felt any more clarity. Lowlifes like Brody didn't deserve any more of his time. Gibbs had had enough.

Brody raised his hands in defeat. "Alright! Lower your weapon, Agent Gibbs!"

Gibbs gritted his teeth at the audacity of the man in front of him. He was facing death down the barrel of a gun, yet the man still thought he was in control.

"For the last time." Gibbs' control was wavering. "Where is Stratton?"

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Tony picked himself off the concrete. His hands were trembling and he was covered in blood. He wiped the back of his mouth with his shaking hand, trying to bring his breathing under control. His heart rate was bordering on 110, if not higher. If he didn't calm himself down, he'd end up in a bed beside Abby. As it was, Gibbs was going to kill him. He'd broken every protocol known to NCIS and then some. Tony grimaced as he took a few steps towards the man he'd just shot down. He hadn't had any time to think. He could have kicked himself for hesitating when he'd first come on the scene. He'd followed his Intel but he never expected it to be that easy. Everything within him screamed that it couldn't possibly be this simple. But it had been. Stratton was right where he was told he'd be. Alone. Unsuspecting. Waiting.

Tony lifted his foot and kicked the dead man as hard as he could. "You sick son of a bitch!"

A penetrating wave of pain washed over him sending him stumbling to his knees, nearly landing on top of the body. Tony felt tears burn in his eyes as he stared at the corpse. His stomach churned. There was no doubt the man in front of him was dead. Tony had been deadly accurate, hitting him right between the eyes. Maybe it was the wrong thing to do. Maybe he should have shot off his kneecaps instead. Death was too good for the pig. The guy deserved to suffer.

It was finished. Aimee would be safe now.

Tony tried to stand to his feet but he couldn't. He screamed out again. Pain so intense it took away his breath. Blood stained the front of his shirt. He tried to take a deep breath but couldn't. Things went black.


	49. Chapter 49

**A\N Happy Canada Day and 4th of July for my American Readers.**

 **THanks so much for all the reviews! It made me smile. I'm so glad you are enjoying my story.**

 **My family is enjoying a low-key day at home as everyone is still recovering. It's been a rainy, wet day anyway. Our original plans were to go camping but it just wasn't meant to be this year.**

 **Lucky you...I had some time to write while I was working away at my laundry today.**

 **The case part of the story has ended...there needs to be some resolution and such but finally Stratton is dead and Brody is in custody. Aimee and Abby are safe now. Although, maybe Abby isn't so safe from Gibbs LOL Gibbs needs some sleep and time to gather his thoughts.**

 **Now the fun part...dun dun dun...I love writing family dynamics and relationships.**

 **Thanks for reading and ENJOY!**

 **Jenny Wrens :)**

 _Tony picked himself off the concrete. His hands were trembling and he was covered in blood. He wiped his mouth with the back of his shaking hand, trying to bring his breathing under control. His heart rate was bordering on 110, if not higher. If he didn't calm himself down, he'd end up in a bed beside Abby. As it was, Gibbs was going to kill him. He'd broken every protocol known to NCIS and then some. Tony grimaced as he took a few steps towards the man he'd just shot down. He hadn't had any time to think. He could have kicked himself for hesitating when he'd first come on the scene. He'd given the man too much time to react much to Tony's detriment. He'd followed his Intel but he never expected it to be that easy. It had come as a shock and everything within him screamed that it couldn't possibly be this simple. But it had been. Stratton was right where he was told he'd be. Alone. Unsuspecting. Waiting._

 _Tony lifted his foot and kicked the dead man as hard as he could. "You sick son of a bitch!"_

 _Tony screamed out in agony as a penetrating wave of pain washed over him sending him stumbling to his knees, nearly landing on top of the body. Tony felt hot tears burning in the back of his eyes as he stared at the corpse. His stomach churned as unexpected waves of nausea hit him. There was no doubt the man in front of him was dead. Tony had been deadly accurate, hitting him right between the eyes. Maybe it had been the wrong thing to do. Maybe he should have shot off his kneecaps instead. Death was too good for the scumbag. The guy deserved to suffer._

 _It was finished. Aimee would be safe now._

 _Tony tried to stand to his feet but couldn't. He screamed out again. The pain was so intense it took away his breath. Blood stained the front of his shirt and Tony stared at it feeling confused as to where it had come from. He tried to take a deep breath but couldn't. Tony felt himself falling as things faded to black._

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Gibbs leaned against his car forcing himself back under control. It had been close. Too close. Probably another few minutes alone with Brody and his feral instincts would have taken over. As it was, someone had forcibly pulled him off Brody. Gibbs didn't like it. He didn't like to be so out of control. He didn't like how personal the whole case had become to him. He didn't like how so much of what he knew was still a mystery and Brody wasn't talking. The only saving grace for Brody was his willingness, albeit coerced, to divulge what he knew about Stratton's whereabouts. Gibbs had lost his past nerve. If the man hadn't blurted it out, Gibbs felt sure it would be the medical examiner dealing with Brody right now. If Gibbs never found out anything else about the case, and if he could capture Stratton, well, he supposed he could live with that just as long as Aimee and Abby were safe. He didn't need to know every sorted detail. In fact, it was best he didn't know.

"Agent Gibbs?"

A gruff voice brought him out his reverie and back to reality. An FBI agent he didn't recognize was holding out a cell phone towards him with an impatient look on his face. Gibbs looked past him as other agents dragged Brody out and shoved him into a vehicle. Brody cast a penetrating glance his way. Gibbs couldn't quite place the expression but it sent a shiver down the back of his spine. Something about that piercing look told him that things weren't over between them. As long as Brody lived, Gibbs wasn't going to have much peace of mind. Gibbs forced himself to shake off the feeling. This was one of the times that he hoped his gut was wrong. Brody was going to go to jail for a very long time. No amount of money or influence was going to save him from that. Aimee would be safe from him. Gibbs only hoped the man would see some sense and release custody of the girl so she could be adopted and live a happy life.

"You have a call from an Agent Timothy McGee."

Gibbs frowned and took the phone, walking away from the agent seeking privacy to take the call.

"Gibbs." His voice was gruff and he knew it.

"Boss?" Tim's voice sounded timid and uncertain. Gibbs dropped his shoulders. Tim always managed to sound like a wounded soul when something was out of sorts.

"McGee, why didn't you call my cell?"

"I-I tried, Boss, but it went directly to voice mail. I left several messages."

Gibbs sighed, remembering he had turned off his cell. He'd made himself unreachable on purpose but he wasn't about to admit that since he considered it a cardinal sin for any of his team to do it.

"What's the matter?" Gibbs quickly changed the subject.

"It's Tony, Boss. He left a couple of hours ago to get coffee and hasn't returned. I tried to call him but he wouldn't pick up. It's not like him."

Gibbs felt his blood pressure rise. "I thought I told you to keep an eye on him, McGee." Gibbs heard his younger agent suck in a guilty intake of breath. "Never mind feeling guilty about that now. Any idea where he went?"

"His father called him while we were sitting in the waiting room. He seemed really agitated by the call."

Gibbs narrowed his eyes. Something was definitely wrong. He knew for a fact that Senior was not even in the country; reason being he'd received an email from the man saying he would be out of touch for several months and to keep an eye on Tony for him. Gibbs hadn't given it much thought though other than to be annoyed at the audacity of the older man. It was like 30 years of neglect could be made up for by a few random calls and emails. Senior had some kind of strange fantasy in his mind that he and Gibbs were tag teaming being Tony's parents, never mind the fact that Tony was a grown adult and didn't need someone to parent him. Although, at the moment, Gibbs was beginning to think perhaps Tony did. Gibbs felt his palm getting rather itchy. When he got his hands on the kid, he was going to smack him upside the head hard enough to make him see stars for a few days. He'd told Tony to stay put, and he'd purposely disobeyed a direct order. There was no excuse for that in Gibbs mind.

"McGee, track Tony's cell and give me an idea of his whereabouts."

"On it, Boss. Everything okay?"

"Brody's in custody and I know where Stratton is."

A brief pause before, "Call you when I know something-"

"Tim?"

"Yes, Boss?"

"How's Abby?"

There was a short pause on the line that made Gibbs' heart skip a beat, and then he heard a small sniffle and a quiver in his youngest son's voice. "She's gonna make it, Boss."

Gibbs released a deep breath of relief, "Thanks, Tim." and he ended the call.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Gibbs followed Brody's directions out to a remote inlet off Deep Creek Lake. He tried calling Tony's cell again and growled under his breath when it went to voice mail again. He'd tried five times on the drive and had been unsuccessful.

"Damn it, DiNozzo, you know better than to be unreachable! Where the hell are you?" he shouted into his cell phone before slamming it on the seat.

It bounced off the leather and landed on the floor. His angry was masking his worry. He groaned as he grabbed his phone and shoved it in his pocket. Tim was right. It wasn't anything like Tony to not answer his cell. Something was wrong. Even when Tony had gone off half-cocked and done something stupid, he always owned up to it and answered his cell. Gibbs forced himself to not borrow worry and looked up to see a large yacht moored at the dock. Brody had told him that Stratton planned to take Aimee and escape with her in his vessel. The harbour was deserted save a handful of crafts yet be pulled from the frigid waters. It was late in the season and most cottagers had closed their vacation homes and pulled their boats from the water to store them. Gibbs had checked in with his neighbour on several occasions and was assured that Aimee and Janessa were safe. The agents he'd assigned to watch them had also assured him that everything was copasetic. He felt some comfort in that knowledge. Something in the plan had been foiled or had yet to occur.

Keeping his hand on his weapon, Gibbs carefully took in his surroundings. He had called Fornell and Jenny for backup. Ziva and Tim were en route as well. Tim had secured a GPS location on Tony's cell and had traced it to here. How his protégé had managed to trace down Stratton on his own, Gibbs longed to know. Ire bubbled deep within Gibbs. What had possessed Tony to try and take on Stratton on his own? He knew better! Of all the idiotic things to do! No agent worked alone. It was beyond stupid. What had he been thinking? As Gibbs walked in the darkness towards the docks, his mind whirled. There was a reason why he made rules. There was a reason why rule number 10 was so damned important. Whenever any of them got personally involved, they lost their heads. Without focus and reason, they made stupid mistakes. Any those mistakes could cost them irrevocable damage.

As Gibbs made his way towards the dock, he felt his cell vibrate in his pocket. He pulled it out and read the text message on his screen alerting to the fact that Tim and Ziva had arrived and had assumed procedure. They had a protocol they followed under these types of circumstances. Gibbs didn't need to worry about instructions. After several minutes, Gibbs felt like he had secured his area and both Ziva and Tim had as well. Soon the sky filled with lights as helicopters came into view. The Calvary had arrived in full force.

"Gibbs!" A shrill voice he recognized as Ziva's could be heard from up ahead. Gibbs furrowed his brow wondering how she had managed to get ahead of him. He silently rebuked himself right away reflecting on Ziva's ninja-like skills. As often as he worked with her, he always failed to underestimate her abilities. She had survival skills that rivaled anyone else he knew, including himself.

Gibbs picked up the pace and ran towards her voice. His jaw dropped when he saw Ziva examining Tony, not daring to move him. Gibbs dropped to his knees with a groan and felt for the man's pulse. It was thready but he could feel it.

"Get EMT, Ziva!"

Ziva nodded. Gibbs could see how pale her face was in the light of the overhead helicopters. She rose to her feet and walked a few steps away, calling for emergency services.

Gibbs searched for injuries on Tony as Tim came running towards them at full speed along with a handful of other agents. From the corner of his eye, he saw Tim access Stratton for a pulse and shook his head, letting Gibbs know the man was dead. Gibbs' hand pressed down hard on Tony's chest to put pressure on the wound. Blood seeped through his hands and covered them, surrounding them in a pool.

"Damn it, DiNozzo! You do not have permission to die! Do you hear me?"

Tony's eye's fluttered. "Y-yes, B-boss," came the haggard reply.

"Hang on, Tony. You're gonna make it." Gibbs' voice wavered this time and his emotions ping-ponged back and forth between anger and despair.

It seemed like he knelt like that for an unfathomable amount of time, waiting for EMT to arrive and take over. He listened to Tony's ragged breaths and burbling sounds. Gibbs knew things didn't bode well for his protégé. The sounds he was hearing made him believe Tony's lungs had been damaged and who knew what else. Given how damaged his lungs had already been from the Plague several years ago, Gibbs sucked in a worried breath.

"Geez, DiNozzo, why do you do stuff like this?" he muttered under his breath. "Are you trying to make all my hair gray? Damn foolish kid."

Gibbs looked up to see EMT's rush to his side. Wind assaulted them as a medic helicopter landed close by. It gave Gibbs some comfort as he stood to his feet. At least Tony would arrive at emergency care as quickly as possible. The speed at which the medics worked was surreal to Gibbs. No matter how many times he'd been involved in trauma situations, he couldn't get used to it. Ziva moved closer to him, as did Tim as they all watched Tony being worked on and then loaded carefully into the aircraft.

All three plus a dozen or more others stood and watched as the helicopter took off carrying Tony to the hospital. Gibbs heard Ziva choke back a sob and he embraced her, neither one of them caring about his blood soaked.

"Gibbs," said a voice, making him blink. His eyes burned when he realised he'd been staring into space for a long time without blinking. He turned to see Fornell standing there with a grim expression on his face. "Go with your team and see if Tony makes it."

Nodding silently, Gibbs ushered Ziva towards his car with Tim following behind.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Abby sat in bed with her arms crossed, gingerly favouring her broken arm. "Why can't I see him?"

Jenny sighed again and crossed the room to shut the door. Abby was being unusually loud and Jenny didn't wish to disturb other patients close by.

"Because he's not allowed to have any visitors."

"I'm not a visitor!" she almost shrieked. "I'm like his sister…that's family and family aren't visitors."

The door to her room suddenly opened and in walked Gibbs, looking more than a little irritated as well as exhausted.

"Jethro!" scolded Jenny. "You were supposed to go home and get some rest."

"I was on my way out when I heard Abby's voice. For Pete's sake, Abbs, keep it down to a dull roar, why don't you."

Abby didn't bother to look abashed but instead leaped from her bed and towards Gibbs with a big grin on her face. "Gibbs!"

Gibbs couldn't keep the smile from his face as the tall, lanky girl hurled herself at him nearly knocking him off balance. It was good to see her up and around, looking pink and healthy. She had so quickly recovered once she received the anti-toxin. Other than some superficial wounds and some broken bones, Abby was definitely on the mend. He embraced her gently and closed his eyes, drinking her in. His Abby was safe. She was no longer in any danger. She was going to be fine and she would live to get into mischief another day.

"Were you really gonna leave here without seeing me first?" pouted Abby, pulling away to display her pout more profusely.

Gibbs scowled at her sternly. "You, young lady, should be glad I was trying to go home and get some sleep before dealing with you."

Abby's face fell as she sucked in her lip, finally looking a little bit sheepish. "I can explain, Gibbs," she whined.

Gibbs held up his hands. "Not now. There will be plenty of time for us to talk more once I get you home. For now, I'm just glad you are safe."

Jenny walked forward and placed a warm hand on Gibb's forearm.

"How's Tony?"

"He's stable. He's one hell of a lucky guy and must be related to a damned cat for how many lives he used up." Gibbs ran a hand through Abby's dark hair and smiled at her. "Both of you are enough to make my whole head gray. What's a guy to do to keep his youth with you two around?"

Abby chewed her lip but didn't say anything. Gibbs kissed her cheek and continued to hold her close to him. She felt good in his arms and he just didn't feel like he wanted to let go quite yet and she seemed content to snuggle close as well.

"What happened, Jethro? How did Tony end up with Stratton? I thought Brody gave you the coordinates to his yacht." Jenny's voice was hoarse. She was angry at him. Angry that he went off on his own without talking to her first. Angry for being left out of the loop. Angry for being one-upped and her authority being usurped.

Gibbs ran his free hand over his weary face. "I wish I knew." Gibbs released Abby and pointed at her bed. "Back to bed with you and no more shenanigans out of you. You can see Tony when you're told you can and not before. He needs time to recover and so do you."

Abby opened her mouth to argue and Gibbs hit her with a scathing look. "Don't even think of arguing with me. You're treading on ice so thin with me right now; there is no telling what I might do." Abby's eyes widened and she hastily scooted across the floor and into the bed.

Jenny smirked at Abby's response to Gibbs' pronouncement. It was easy to see that Abby knew she had pressed her luck one too many times with Gibbs as of late. Gibbs' face softened as he followed behind Abby and pulled her blankets up to cover her.

"Stay put, behave and get better. The doctor tells me you should be able to come home in a couple of days IF you behave yourself."

Abby nodded suddenly looking tired. Gibbs kissed her on the forehead.

"You really should get some sleep too, Jethro. You look exhausted."

Gibbs nodded his agreement, stifling a yawn. He was tired. "I sent Ziva and Tim back to get the girls and bring them back to my place. I'm heading back and we're all going to get some much-needed rest. I will rest better knowing everyone is safe."

"Want me to come watch the girls, Jethro? They are not going to be tired…"

Gibbs smiled. "That would be great, Jenn."

Gibbs kissed Abby again and walked towards the door. "Try and behave yourself, Abbs."

With those final words, Gibbs left the room.

Jenny turned to Abby. "You're a lucky woman, Abigail Sciuto."

Abby chewed her lip. "I think I'm going to be in deep trouble when he gets me alone." A tear escaped down her cheek.

Jenny walked towards the chair in the corner to collect her belongings. "I hesitate to agree, but I think you're right this time. Jethro only has so much patience, Abby. What got into you to sneak off to meet with Fagan again, given everything you knew about him and what he's already done to you?"

More tears fell down her cheeks as she shrugged. "I thought…he said…Aimee…" Abby dissolved into tears.

Jenny's heart softened and she walked to Abby's side and put her hand on her shoulder gently.

"Oh, sweetie, you need to learn to ask for help and stop trying to do things on your own. In some ways, you are no different that Aimee."

Abby sobbed. "He's gonna hate me, isn't he?"

Jenny smoothed out Abby's damp hair. "Oh Abby, Gibbs could never hate you, but I have a feeling that you might hate him by the time he's through with you. Just remember, Gibbs sees you like his daughter. To him, you are no different than Kelly. If Kelly was still alive and she did something this stupid and dangerous, I don't even want to guess what he'd do to her. There is no statute of limitations on age in his mind hence the reason why he had no issues with smacking Tony or Tim. Even Ziva has felt his hand across the back of her head when she's been out of line. For some reason, you've escaped that. Something tells me that your get out of jail free card has expired, my dear."

Abby gulped and she squirmed under Jenny's gaze.

Jenny patted her again. "Try and get some rest, Abby. I'll see you in the morning."


	50. Chapter 50

Two Weeks Later.

Gibbs took the basement stairs two at a time mumbling under his breath about the splinter that had lodged its way under his fingernail. He entered the kitchen to see Abby and Janessa baking together, giggles and flour floating around the room. He sought out the first aid kit in the drawer beside the fridge.

"You gots wood bits in your hair, Mr. Gibbs."

"Yah, well, you've got flour on your face."

Janessa wrinkled her nose and poked out her tongue at him before dissolving into giggles.

"You better be careful; your face might freeze that way," he muttered, grimacing as he fished the splinter out from under his nail. He stuck his finger in his mouth and sucked on it while looking up to see Abby scowling at him.

"What?" he said with a perplexed look on his face.

"Do you have any idea how many germs are on your hands, Gibbs?"

Gibbs rolled his eyes, sighed and walked to the sink to wash his hands. "Happy now?"

Abby nodded with a small satisfied smirk.

"Women," muttered Gibbs as he sauntered out of the kitchen into his living room.

He saw his favourite novel beckoning to him from the sofa so he collapsed down hoping to catch a couple pages while things were quiet. Tim was bringing Tony home from the hospital that afternoon, and Gibbs had been building a television/book shelf for the spare bedroom. He wanted to have everything in place for Tony to stay with him until he was fully recovered. The younger man had sustained some serious injuries and would need to have someone keep an eye on him while he recuperated. Gibbs planned to be that person. And, he and Tony had a lot to discuss whether Tony wished to travel that road or not. Gibbs wanted to know what happened the night Tony was shot, and so far Tony had been tight-lipped about the whole thing. His senior field agent looked quite sheepish whenever anything regarding the case was brought up. Something happened that Tony didn't want Gibbs to know, and Gibbs was determined to find out what it was. As it stood, Stratton was dead and every part of that made Gibbs a happy man. Truth be known, Gibbs would have loved to blow the son of bitch into oblivion himself, but it made no difference to him at the end of the day. Stratton was no longer a threat to anyone and all movement from MS-13 in D.C. seemed to have died with him. Gibbs was more than content with that knowledge and, now that the FBI and NCIS were prepared, MS-13 would be hard-pressed to gain a foothold without being discovered. It would be a long while before the group would be able to move as seamlessly as it had before. Stratton had been the money and the brains. The rest of what was left in DC would be decimated without firm roots to a money tree.

Gibbs settled into the sofa, resting his head on the back of it. His mind was too occupied to allow him the peace to focus on his book. He was still on hiatus recovering from his own injuries. He felt fine and had fully recovered, but his doctor hadn't cleared him for work, and truth be told, he was kept more than a little busy looking after Janessa and Aimee. Not to mention Abby. Abby was a whole other story. She'd been home with him for over a week, recovered for the most part, but still very much elusive. He couldn't seem to pin her down to talk. It would take several more weeks before her arm was mended, and she made out like she was managing fine. But Gibbs knew differently. He'd heard her wandering the house at night when she should have been asleep, and he'd hoped she would seek him out to talk but she hadn't. He felt a rift between them, and he knew she was avoiding talking with him. He hadn't had the strength to broach the much-needed conversation between them. He was still simmering down from his immense anger at her foolishness. She'd lied and misled him and that wasn't something he would so easily let go. He knew he shouldn't let things fester so long, but he didn't trust himself enough yet to speak with her. Part of him feared he'd lose his temper and say or do something he'd regret.

With everything hitting the fan with David Brody, MS-13 and Stratton's death, life had been chaotic at best. Gibbs had been under so much scrutiny and stress, needing to justify and explain matters that he had no idea what to say anymore, and frankly, he needed some down time from it all. There was only so much stress a person could handle, and Gibbs felt like he'd reached his limit. Between balancing work, the girls and his team, Gibbs was exhausted. Thankfully, Jenny was on the ball and, despite her ire towards him, she had his back 100%. Even though the tension was thick between them, Jenny Shephard was a trooper. She knew Gibbs' plate was full, and she knew him well enough to know that he'd reached his limit.

"Whatcha doing?"

Gibbs looked up to see Aimee walk into the room. "Reading."

"Doesn't look like it."

Gibbs smiled. Smart kid. He opened his book and looked at it. "Better?" he said, peeking over the top of it to see her giggle.

"When's Tony coming home from the hospital?"

"Tim said he'd bring him here this afternoon."

Aimee nodded and sat beside him. Gibbs looked at the little girl and could see something was weighing on her. The past couple weeks had been eventful but he'd been thankful Aimee and he had not been constantly at each other's throats like before. For whatever reason, Aimee had settled into a routine of sorts, and Gibbs wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

"Something on your mind, kiddo?"

Aimee shrugged.

Gibbs sat up and pulled Aimee closer to him, wrapping one arm around her shoulders. He was glad when she snuggled into him. They had come along way over the past few months.

"What's gonna happen now?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, the bad guy's dead right?"

"Yep."

"Ducky said I have this computer chip in my head and it's full of important information. What happens now?"

Gibbs rested his head on the top of Aimee's. "Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Nothing. Listen, Aims, that chip doesn't affect you in any way. You can live a normal life, and you will never even know it's there…"

"Yah, but it is. Why can't you take it out? I mean, doesn't it have stuff on it that people want?"

"The man Tony killed was named Stratton." Gibbs leaned back wrapping both arms around the little girl. He didn't see the point in hiding things from Aimee. She deserved to know the truth. He felt Aimee tense up in his arms, but he hugged her tightly to comfort her.

"The guy who killed…"

"Yes, and he's dead. Tony caught him, and he killed him. I have yet to find out what happened, but all you need to know is that he can't hurt you anymore. He was the one who wanted that chip, and as far as we know, no one else knows about it but your dad."

"Wait, m-my dad is alive?" Aimee leaned forward and turned to look at Gibbs with her blue eyes wide in fear.

Gibbs felt his heart beat rapidly in his chest. How could he explain things to a nine-year old child when he couldn't even wrap his head around it. "Yah, Aims, he is. Do you have any questions you want to ask me about him?"

Tears welled up in Aimee's eyes. "B-but Andrew said he was dead."

"Yah, I know, sweetie." Gibbs didn't know what else to say so he kissed her head instead. He had more questions than answers himself. He didn't know why Andrew had lied.

Aimee looked baffled and uncertainty shimmered in her eyes. "Is my dad a bad man, Gibbs?"

Gibbs reached out and took a hold of Aimee's hands, squeezing them gently to reassure her. "Sweetheart, I really don't know what to say to that question. David Brody…that's his name in case you didn't know it…he is sick in his head and that makes him dangerous; he's going to go to jail for a very long time. You've never met him so other than being your biological father," Gibbs paused. "Do you know what that means?" Aimee nodded. Gibbs wasn't so sure she did understand, but he continued speaking anyway hoping on some level she did. "Other than being your father by blood, he has no part in your life. One day, you're going to have a real dad who will love and appreciate you for who you are; he'll protect you and help you to continue to grow into the beautiful young lady you're already becoming."

Aimee shook her head and swallowed as tears cascaded down her cheeks. "No, I won't."

Gibbs raised a brow. "Why do you say that?"

Aimee pulled back and stood to her feet. Gibbs could see her hands trembling.

"Aims?"

"Now that everything's over, you're gonna make us go away, aren't you?"

Gibbs leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "I'm not making you go away, Aims. Miss Parker is working very hard to find you and Ness adoptive families so you can start living your life again. Some awful things have happened to you; it's going to take you awhile to recover from it. But I know you will! You are a very smart girl, and I know you are going to have an amazing life." He smiled and winked at her kindly. "You and Janessa have become so important to all of us at NCIS, and we want to make sure you find the best families. No matter where you are, I'm always going to be here for you…"

"Stop lying!" Aimee clenched her fists together and glared at him.

"Aimee." Gibbs felt at a loss to explain things any better.

Aimee rushed towards him and started punching him with her fists. "You don't care about us. I hate you!"

Gibbs was ready for it and grabbed Aimee's wrists before she could get too many punches in.

"I do care about you."

Aimee struggled in his arms. "No, you don't! If you did, you'd let us stay with you!"

Gibbs closed his eyes for a brief second before opening them again. Aimee continued to struggle, trying to free herself. Gibbs turned her around and wrapped his arms around her tightly, putting his face to her ear.

"Not only do I care about you, kiddo, I love you."

Aimee stopped struggling and collapsed against him, breathing hard. Soon Gibbs felt her body convulse into sobs.

"I love you, Aimee Percy." He repeated, pressing a kiss to the back of her head.

It was true. He did love her. He loved her enough to realise that he needed to stop pussyfooting around. He needed to work harder to make some permanent decisions for the girls. It was time to make life more stable. They needed him to make the hard choices, and he needed to that sooner than later.

"Aimee!" called Janessa suddenly, racing into the family room with flour still on her face. She was quite literally dancing on the top of her toes with excitement. "You gotta come see. Me and Abby made SnickerDoodle cookies. You can't actually doodle with them, though." Janessa wrinkled her nose like she couldn't believe anyone would call a cookie a name like doodle when you couldn't write with them. Her silly expression made Gibbs laugh. "But Abby is gonna show me how to make scribble cookies, and she says you can actually write with them for real! Quick, come see!" Janessa ran forward not seeming to notice the tears on Aimee's cheeks and grabbed her by the hand impatiently.

"Nessie, you can't write with cookies," admonished Aimee trying to pull away from her sister, reluctant to leave the security of Gibbs' arms.

"With Abby, anything is possible, Aims," said Gibbs, pushing Aimee away from him and giving her a playful swat on the behind to encourage her to go with her sister.

"Gibbs," called Abby from what sounded like downstairs in his workshop. "Where do you hide your wood grater?"

Gibbs rose to his feet just as his doorbell rang. _When it rained, it poured_ , he thought. "Abigail, get your butt outta my workshop! Now!" growled Gibbs, inwardly groaning. None of the women in his house seemed to understand his simple rule about the workshop being off limits.

"Never mind, Gibbs, I found it!"

"C'mon, Aimee, let's go see how Abby makes them. C'mon!" Janessa pulled on Aimee's arm and reluctantly the older girl followed her. Gibbs smirked as she gave him a perturbed look. The more Gibbs got to know the little girl, the more he realised how much of a kindred spirit she was.

"Go keep an eye on Abby for me," said Gibbs, winking at her.

Janessa spun on her foot, indignation on her face. "Mr. Gibbs," she scolded. "Abby doesn't need Aimee to keep an eye on her. She's a forensick science tester. That's even better than Mr. Nye the science guy!" Janessa had her hands on her hips with her eyes wide in admiration and maybe even a small hint of bewilderment that Gibbs didn't see Abby the same way she did.

The doorbell rang once again, reminding Gibbs that someone was at the door.

"Just a minute!" he called towards the door before turning towards the kitchen and shouting, "Abby! Why do you need a wood grater for cookies?"

"No reason!" came a loud reply, this time coming from the kitchen.

Gibbs shook his head muttering to himself about no one having any respect for boundaries anymore as he made his way to the front door and opened it.

Lydia Parker stood on the doorstep dressed in a well-pressed dress suit, looking as prim and proper as ever. She looked up from her handful of paperwork and smiled curtly at him.

"Miss Parker, to what do I owe this pleasure?"

Gibbs stood aside to allow the woman entry into his front foyer silently wishing he could slam the door in her face.

"Mr. Gibbs," she began in a terse voice. "I've been trying to reach you for several days to no avail. Don't you check your email or your phone messages?" Gibbs chewed discreetly on the inside of his lip. He did check his messages; he just hadn't bothered to return any of the demanding woman's messages. "Janessa's adoptive family has been waiting patiently for you to pick a time for them to take her for a weekend. What on earth is taking you so long to reply?"

Gibbs walked back into his living area and sat down, ushering Miss Parker to sit as well. He silently willed himself to stay calm and professional. He didn't particularly like Lydia Parker, and he was pretty sure the feeling was mutual.

"Things have been chaotic, Miss Parker. The girls were still in danger…"

"How so?" demanded the woman, who appeared taken aback at the news. "Why was I not informed of this earlier? Social services has…"

Gibbs raised his hand to forestall her from starting a rampage about policies and procedures. There was a reason why NSIC never involved child services while children were still endangered. It meant involving too many people who would demand to know details for their records complicated issues even more convoluted and, frankly, he didn't have the time or the patience for it.

"Need to know basis, ma'am. Much of what we do at NCIS is classified so that makes social services not needing to know. Besides, it's all water under the bridge now. The girls are perfectly safe; the case has been solved and is in the process of being closed."

Miss Parker glared at him but remained silent. If Gibbs didn't know better, he might have seen steam coming out the high-strung woman's ears.

Gibbs continued. "What you do need to know is that David Brody is in custody. We need to get him to sign off his rights so that Aimee can be adopted. I feel it would be in her best interest to be adopted as soon…"

"That is not for _you_ to decide, Mr. Gibbs. That will be up to me and the psychologist that will be treating Aimee."

Gibbs blinked. "Psychologist?"

"Yes. Aimee's case is complicated, and the sooner we get her into therapy the better."

Gibbs shook his head in disbelief. It wasn't that he didn't agree that the child needed some help processing her feelings, but he was sure that his idea of therapy and Miss Parker's idea were very different. "What kind of therapy?"

Miss Parker crossed her legs and heaved a sign of utter annoyance, almost like she was explaining something redundant to a naughty child. "Mr. Gibbs, I have told you many times that Aimee needs more help than we can give her. Her case had been transferred through the proper channels, and Aimee is on a waiting list for Broadview Children's Centre."

It was Gibb's turn to be shocked. He was at a complete loss for words. If there was ever any time in his life that he disagreed with a decision, it was now. Aimee Percy did not need to be sent away to some Anger Management center. He'd heard of Broadview. Most of the kids that came out that place ended up in trouble with the law, groomed at an early age by some of the worst criminals in D.C. Aimee didn't need to go to a place like that. She needed a stable home with love and firm discipline. Why couldn't Lydia Parker see past Aimee's anger and see what the little girl truly needed? Was he the only one who knew what the child needed?

"NO! Absolutely not!"

"I beg your pardon."

Gibbs rose to his feet. "You heard me. Aimee is not going to an orphanage for screwed-up kids. I will adopt her myself before I will ever allow that to happen. Those places breed criminals."

"Don't be ridiculous…"

"I've been working in Law Enforcement for over twenty years. And I've been alive a whole hell of lot longer than you if you will forgive my language. If you think I'm going to sit by and allow Aimee to be groomed for a life of crime-"

"Mr. Gibbs-"

"I think it is time you left, Miss Parker," interrupted Gibbs, crossing his arms resolutely and letting his eyes show her where the door was located.

Miss Parker rose to her feet, a pink hue washing over her face. Her mouth was agape, and she glared at Gibbs with fury in her eyes.

"You do not have the authority-"

"I'm sure you can find your own way out."

Gibbs watched as the woman scowled at him in pure annoyance. She gathered her papers and nearly stomped towards the front door, stopping momentarily to glower at him.

"Those girls will be removed from your home by the end of the week. I am finished trying to reason with you."

Gibbs face was deadpan. "Good day, Miss Parker." He waited until she stepped her foot outside the door and hastily slammed the door. Gibbs didn't doubt she would attempt to make good on her word, but he also knew how the guardianship laws worked with NCIS. This was not the first time he'd been awarded custody of children and likely wouldn't be the last. Miss Parker would not be able to remove the girls from his care until they were placed in permanent homes. SecNav would not allow it. The girls belonged to the Navy, and the Navy took care of its own.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Abby hung up the phone with her friend from her bowling league. Sister Mary Karise had been bugging her to come and cheer on the team ever since she'd come home from the hospital. Abby hadn't felt much like visiting with anyone. She was simply bone-weary. Physically and emotionally spent. Between being suspended from a career that was her self-identity and trying to cope with her emotions over what happened to her with Mulligan and then Fagan, someone she had once thought of as a treasured friend, Abby was hanging on by a thread. She managed to cope each day by immersing herself in doing activities with the girls…and avoiding eye contact with Gibbs which wasn't easy. The man could read her like a book and she knew it. Even when they ate meals together, she purposely made herself chatter away to the girls about nonsensical stuff. It made Janessa laugh, and it was easy to side track Gibbs when it came to Janessa's antics. He was smitten with the girls, and Abby was more than content to deflect any attention to her onto them. She was too ashamed to admit that she'd sparked a few tantrums from Aimee just to keep Gibbs busy and far away from her.

Abby sat on her bed and stared in the mirror while brushing her hair into her trademark ponytails. Maybe it was time for a change. Her dark hair just seemed to know what to do because she'd had the same hairstyle since she was a little girl. Maybe it was time for a change. Abby pulled out one ponytail, tears shimmering in her eyes. She could see the dark circles under her eyes. She didn't sleep much anymore. The nights were long and torturous. She often wished she could go for a long walk by herself, but she knew Gibbs would freak out if she left the house alone at night. She wanted to avoid making him any more upset than he already was. She pulled the other ponytail out and sighed. It was no use. If she wanted to style her hair differently, she'd need to wash her hair. She had no energy to do that. She quickly finished tying her hair up and stood to her feet, grabbing her purse. Maybe an afternoon with the sisters would cheer her up.

Abby left her room and shut the door quietly, hoping to not draw attention. She just wanted to grab Gibbs' keys from the front entry and slip away unnoticed. Gibbs wouldn't care if she took his car for the afternoon as long as she left a note, which she planned to do. She usually wrote on the hall mirror with a whiteboard marker, something goofy which hopefully made him laugh. She headed towards the stairs and her heart leap in her chest when she met Gibbs at the top of the landing.

"Hey, Gibbs," she said softly, hoping her voice sounded indifferent. She didn't make eye contact but pretended to search in her purse for something. "I'm going to watch the bowling tourney with the Sisters. Mary Karise won't stop hounding me so I promised-"

"Abby, we need to talk," said Gibbs, his voice firm.

Abby continued digging in her purse as she tried to slip past Gibbs. "Mary Karise is going to be furious if I'm late again. She said punctuality is a virtue and somehow I seem-"

"Abbs, look at me."

"Can't seem to find my membership…I know it I put in my purse. It should be here." She tried to push past Gibbs once again and then felt him grip her forearm.

"We need to talk now."

Abby looked at him briefly, shaking her head. "I can't Gibbs. I promised Mary Karise that I-"

"Abby, it's not a request."

Abby blinked. "Gibbs!" she whined. "I've spent all morning playing, baking and doing stuff with the girls. I need to get out. I'm not at your beck and call, you know." Her voice was curt which surprised even her.

Gibbs released her arm and cocked his head. "I never said you were. But, you've been avoiding me since you came home from the hospital, and it's time we talked."

"Just because you're ready doesn't mean I am," she snapped.

Gibbs grabbed her forearms firmly and gently pushed her backward so he could finish coming up the stairs. He kept his body firmly planted in front of her so she couldn't slip past him.

"Ready or not, we're gonna talk. Now. Tony is coming home this afternoon, and I'm not going to continue to have you act the way you are; he needs a stress-free environment for his recovery."

Abby tossed her hands up in the air. "Act what way? Geez, Gibbs, all I've done since I came home is cook, clean and take care of the girls."

Gibbs put his hands on his hips. "I never asked you to do any of that, Abbs. Believe me; I appreciate all you do. The girls adore you, as do I. I couldn't manage without you, but I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about how you've been avoiding me and won't even look me in the eye. You refuse to talk to me about what happened. Abbs, you lied to me and you misled me. You put yourself in danger needlessly. If you think I can just let that go without talking about it, you're wrong."

Abby took several steps backward and heaved a sigh. All the fight left her. She wasn't angry at Gibbs. She just didn't want to deal with his disappointment in her.

She looked at her feet. "I'm sorry, Gibbs."

"I'm sure you are, but Abby, we need to discuss this-"

"I know. I know."

Gibbs put a firm hand on her lower back and led her down the hall to his room, opening the door and ushering her inside. Abby reluctantly walked in and dramatically threw herself down on Gibbs' large queen bed. Gibbs shut the door and grabbed his desk chair, turning it backward and straddling it. Abby lay staring at the ceiling. She didn't want to look at Gibbs so she just remained sprawled out on his bed.

"C'mon, Abby, sit up and look at me. I miss those beautiful green eyes of yours."

Abby sighed and sat up, pulling herself backward until she was leaning against the wall as far from Gibbs as she could. She was wearing light weight pink tennis shoes with skulls and bones on them rather than her normal clunky platform boots, mostly because it made it easier to sneak around the house while she avoided Gibbs.

"Cute shoes."

Abby chewed her lip pensively. "Thanks."

Gibbs rested his head on his forearms and stared deeply into Abby's eyes. "Why'd you lie to me?"

Abby dropped her head again. "Because, Gibbs, if I had told you, you wouldn't have let me go-"

"Damn straight I wouldn't have. Abby, for Pete's sake, Fagan kidnapped you and his henchman, Mulligan would have raped you if we hadn't have found you when we did. He broke your fingers-"

"Fagan didn't. Mulligan did!"

Gibbs scowled. "Are you defending him?"

"No. Gibbs, he told me they were going to kill him, and he said he wanted to help keep Aimee safe. He told me he was sorry for everything that happened and that he wished he'd never hooked up with Brody. He thought Brody was doing an amicable thing in the beginning. Stopping human trafficking is what most decent people want to do."

"You should have told me and let me handle it. You're not an agent Abby; you're my best forensic scientist! Working on the front line is not what you're trained to do. What made you think he was even telling you the truth?"

Abby sighed. "We were good friends once upon a time, Gibbs…" Abby's voice trailed off as she saw the look on Gibbs face change to incredulity.

"Abby, he broke your arm! Damn it, what do I have to do to get through to you?" Gibbs pounded his fist on the back of the chair and shook his head. Standing to his feet, he began to pace back and forth. "What did you hope to gain? Did it ever cross your mind that he would deceive you again?"

Abby pulled her knees up to her chest and hid her face. "I believed him."

"He tricked you into trusting him and then broke through firewalls to get classified information. When he didn't know how to break the encryption, he had you kidnapped, physically injured and planned to hold you hostage until you cooperated with him. Who knows what he would have done with you if we hadn't found you and Janessa?"

"I'm sorry, Gibbs." Gibbs could see her shoulders heaving as she silently sobbed.

He wanted to relent and pull her into his arms but he was angry at her stupidity and recklessness. It hadn't been the first time she'd run off on her own and ended up almost killed.

"Sometimes sorry isn't good enough, Abbs. What would Sorry have done for me had Fagan succeeded in killing you? He held the antidote in his hands and rather than giving it to me, he actually swallowed the damned thing. He was going to die and let you die too! You're so called good friend cared that much about you…"

Abby looked up, her face beet red as tears streamed down her cheeks. "Alright, I get it! I screwed up! I said I was sorry. What more do you want?" she shouted at him.

Gibbs stopped pacing and hit her with a stern look. "In some alternate reality right now, where it's not seen as inappropriate or a sick fetish, I'm pulling you across my knee and spanking that insolence out of you." Gibbs continued to glare at her.

Abby's mouth dropped open but remained speechless.

"I want you to understand that what you did was dangerous, reckless and just plain stupid, Abby. You endangered yourself for no good reason. You lied to me and you misled me! That is not okay in my books. I want to say that next time, come to me before you do something so asinine, but hear me loud and clear, Abby; there better not be a next time or that alternate reality just might become your reality! Do you catch my drift?"

Abby's face blanched but she nodded quickly, obviously still digesting Gibbs alternate reality suggestion.

"You are a brilliant young woman with a big heart. I understand that. I get how you want to do big things to change this world and make it a better place. You give blood. You call numbers for bingo. You read stories to children at the hospital. You help feed the needy at the soup kitchen. Keep doing those things! All those things are fantastic and so…so… Abby. But leave the dangerous stuff to me and the rest of the trained agents at NCIS. Got it?"

Abby nodded again.

Gibbs dropped his shoulders as the tension washed away. He was finished lecturing her. The pathetic look on her face was enough to rip his heart from his chest, but he was glad to see it anyway. It was better than the alternative. He held his arms out, hoping she'd come to him, and he wasn't disappointed. Abby launched herself into his arms, sobbing and apologising. He held her tightly and shushed her murmurings. She was safe in his arms and safe in his home and he was so thankful for that. After several minutes, Abby pulled away and looked at him tentatively, but then a little bit of her usual sassiness returned.

"Alternate reality Abby is mad at you."

Gibbs smirked. "Mad at me or alternate reality Gibbs?"

"Both."

"Well, I guess she better stop endangering her life because I have it on good authority that alternate reality Gibbs isn't opposed to repeats of a much longer duration."

Abby scowled and poked her tongue out at him. Gibbs chuckled and hugged her again. The air felt much clearer between them, and he hoped in time Abby would bounce back to her normal bubbly self.

Gibbs placed his hand on the small of Abby's back and led her to the door. "How about we go get some ice cream before you take off to cheer on Mary Karise and the bowling team? Always made me feel better when I was recovering."

Abby furrowed her brow as she walked beside Gibbs. "Recovering from what?"

Gibbs laughed and gave her a sharp swat on the behind.

Abby blushed and instinctively covered the target area before it could be assaulted again.

"Gibbs!"

"A reality check."

Gibbs gave her a pointed look and left the room without another word with Abby whining indignantly behind him.

 _ **A/N Thanks so much for all the reviews! Just a few more chapters until this story concludes.**_

 _ **I've enjoyed all the reviews and hope that I have given you a nice entertaining story to enjoy for years to come. I've certainly enjoyed writing the story and have really come to enjoy all the characters.**_

 _ **Many blessings to you all**_

 _ **xo**_

 _ **Jenny :)**_


	51. Chapter 51

_**A/N Thanks for all the nice reviews. Makes me smile!**_

 _ **This chapter deals with some of the angst Gibbs is dealing with. He is fighting hard to do what he feels is the right thing for Aimee and Janessa.**_

 _ **Just a little warning because everyone else seems to feel it's necessary to add to an author's note in Fanfiction; a fictional child is disciplined by an adult at the end of this chapter.**_

The rest of the week traveled by peacefully, much to everyone's relief. They all needed a reprieve. Gibbs managed to bring himself to arrange for Janessa to stay with her prospective adoptive family for a few days. His heart ached when she left, but he knew deep down it was the right thing to do. Janessa needed a family and the sooner it happened, the better for the little girl. Gibbs fully expected Aimee to have a meltdown over Janessa's departure but instead, she retreated into herself, refusing to talk to anyone. He didn't know what to do to make it easier on her. It broke his heart to see her so withdrawn. He preferred the huge outbursts over her troubled silence because then he knew she was dealing with her feelings. He didn't know how to deal with the quiet Aimee. Her silence terrified him.

Tony was settling in well, hiding behind his humour. Gibbs knew Tony was joking around a lot to help deal with his own trauma from the ordeal. As much as he wanted to find out what happened, Gibbs remained respectfully silent. Tony needed time to process things on his own first. Gibbs had so many feelings churning around in his gut. He was proud of Tony for stepping up and doing what needed to be done, but he was also angry. Angry that Tony had snuck off on his own, despite being told to stay put. Angry that Tony didn't call for backup or inform anyone of his plans. There had to be more to the story than any of them knew. He hoped with time Tony would share, but Gibbs was not going to push it. He didn't have the energy or the stamina. Dealing with another one of his "kids" felt daunting to him.

Late afternoon on Saturday, a week after Tony came home from the hospital, Gibbs was fighting with his lawn tractor trying to fish out the wet grass from the blades. He'd removed the whole mower deck and hung it from a tree so he could properly clean it and sharpen the blades. He was grumbling to himself, something Abby told him he did a lot lately, as he power washed the under carriage of the mower. Usually keeping his hands busy brought him a sense of satisfaction but certainly not recently. Lately, everything seemed to just feel like a burden and a hassle. His mind seemed too distracted to find joy in much of anything. It was almost like a shadow of despair had settled upon him, and he didn't know exactly why. He was discovering that there was no heartbeat in depression.

"Having fun, Jethro?"

Gibbs jumped nearly cutting his hand on a jagged blade. He glanced around the mower deck to see Jenny peering at him. "Geez, Jenn, don't sneak up on a guy like that. I could lose a finger on these blades." He scowled at her.

"Sorry." Jenny looked apologetic. "I didn't exactly sneak up on you, though," she explained. "I called your name several times."

Gibbs dropped the hose to the ground and stepped out from behind the mower. He pulled a rag from his back pocket and wiped his hands as he sat down on the nearby wooden saw horse. Jenny joined him and handed him a bottle of water that she'd brought along with her.

"Does it help?"

"Does what help?"

Jenny tucked a stray hair behind her ear. "Working so hard."

Gibbs took a long draught from his bottle of water. "Lots to do around this old place."

"How are you doing?"

Gibbs looked at the lawn tractor. "Ridiculous contraption always gets plugged up when the grass is a little thick. Shoulda replaced it years ago."

"Why do you do that, Jethro?"

"Do what?"

"Hedge."

"I'm not, Jenn."

Jenny shook her head skeptically. "Yes, you are. I never asked about your lawn mower." She reached out to rest her hand on his arm gently. "Jethro, talk to me."

"About what?" Gibbs pulled his arm away, wiping his brow with the back of his hand.

Jenny sighed as she fiddled with the lid on her water bottle. "Lydia Parker has filed enough reports about you to have you court-martialled and keel hauled."

Gibbs dry laughed. "Good thing I'm not in the Marines any longer."

"Once a Marine, always a Marine," Jenny pointed out with a small grin pulling at the corner of her mouth.

Gibbs allowed a small smirk to play on his lips before it faded away to a scowl.

"Jethro, she's only trying to do her job; something I'd think you'd appreciate."

"Yah, you'd think so, wouldn't you?" His tone was sarcastic.

"Damn it, Jethro, stop that!" Jenny's temper flared.

"Stop what?" Gibbs stood to his feet and started to head back towards the mower. He stopped after several steps and turned to face Jenny. "Look, Jenn, cut to the chase here because I have a lot to get done before dark. If you want to talk, then talk."

Jenny stood to her feet as well, placing her hands on her hips. "I don't even know where to start!" Her voice was rising. Her short temper was something Gibbs expected and in some ways found endearing. "There are a lot of things we should discuss…"

"Like what?"

"Like this standoffish, martyr attitude you've developed. You're not the only one hurting, Jethro. You don't get to hold the title, you know."

Gibbs rolled his eyes and laughed sardonically. Jenny did her best to ignore it.

"I'm trying to be nice here, Jethro, but you don't make it easy. I know you're upset…"

"Don't let that stop you!" Gibbs own voice increased in volume as well.

"Fine, I won't." Jenny scowled at him. "What the hell were you thinking going after Stratton without going through the proper channels? You had no right to shut me down like you did. Why didn't you-"

Gibbs' eyes darkened dangerously as he held up a hand to forestall her. "I am _not_ discussing this with you!"

"The hell you aren't." Jenny stomped towards him, crossing her arms angrily. "In case you've forgotten, I am your boss, Jethro Gibbs."

Gibbs glared at her. "Geez, Jenn, does it always have to come down to this?"

"Come down to what?"

"Anytime your back gets up, it's always the same ole I'm _your boss_ crap. I've never once denied that you are the director. Not once! I know you're my boss, and I respect that. You're a damned good director. One of NCIS's best." Gibbs dropped his shoulders and shook his head. "The whole case went to inquiry, Jenn, and I've been brow beaten to death already by authorities above you; you know that!"

Jenny blinked, relenting a little. "I know." She took another step closer to him and rested a warm hand on his forearm. "Okay, I admit it, it's personal."

Gibbs head jerked up like he'd been burned. "Personal?"

"You went rogue, Gibbs-"

Gibbs cocked his head. "Rogue?"

"Admit it; you even broke your own rules and to hell with everyone else! You were out of contact and unreachable. If one of your team did that, you'd smack them into the middle of next week and you know it!"

Gibbs raked a hand through his silver hair. He didn't have any response to that. She was correct. He only had one thing on his mind and that was putting a permanent stop to Stratton.

"I was afraid," Jenny continued, her voice softening and her green eyes swimming in tears of concern and frustration. "We've lost too many good people, including Mich Lin…"

Gibbs' eyes widened. He knew it was a long shot but a part of him had held out hope they'd find Mich Lin alive. "They found her?"

Jenny nodded, stubbornly blinking back the tears. "Yah, Agent Beckett called me this morning. Ducky is doing the autopsy. It's not pretty."

"Damn it," muttered Gibbs. Another family he'd need to face. Anytime he lost an agent, even if it wasn't one of his, he felt responsible. Gibbs took a few more steps towards the tree where the mower deck was hanging and punched the tree in a sudden burst of anger.

Jenny gasped and stepped forward to grab his arm. "Jethro, don't…"

Gibbs pulled his arm away and stood with his back to her. He put his hands on his hips, dropped his chin to his chest and shook his head.

"I did what I had to do, Jenny and so did Tony. Don't you get that? It had to end. It'd been going on for too long, and we weren't getting anywhere playing by the rules. Sometimes following policy and procedure doesn't cut it. Sometimes, you just need to do what needs to be done and to hell with the consequences."

"Jethro." Jenny attempted to get his attention.

"I have so much Intel out there, Jenn. Contacts so seedy and heinous that I cringe at myself. It just takes the right kind of persuasion and I can find out just about anything I want. It turns out Tony is a chip off the old block. He has connections even I don't know about.

Gibbs punched the tree again, cursing under his breath.

"Jethro." Jenny wrapped her arms around his waist and held him. "I…"

Gibbs turned around and drew her into his arms, resting his chin on the top of her head. She was the perfect height for him when she wasn't wearing her six-inch heels. He glanced to see her wearing sneakers, an unusual sight to see. It brought a little smile to his face. He liked that she was unpredictable.

"I'm sorry I frightened you." His words were soft and quiet. It wasn't often he apologised but when it came to Jenny Shephard, he'd do anything.

She melted into him, drawing up her fist and punching him gently. "Don't do it again."

Gibb grunted and looked down at her with a small smirk. Jenny rubbed his stinging hand. He looked down to see blood forming on his knuckles. "Go rogue or punch the tree?"

Jenny smirked. "Neither." Gibbs pulled her in tighter. She felt good in his arms. He felt another part of him awakening as well, and he hoped she wouldn't notice. He had enough on his plate right now without inviting intimacy, although a part of him begged for the release. He puffed out his cheeks silently, attempting to get under control once more. When it came to Jenny Shepard, he couldn't ever quite keep his head screwed on straight.

"We still need to talk, Jethro. You need to talk. I understand that you can't right now, but promise me in time we can."

Gibbs felt his Adam's apple bob up and down in his throat as it became thick with emotion.

"No promises, Jenn." He felt her sigh in frustration but remain silent.

The wind picked up a little and Gibbs lifted his chin to watch the sudden breeze play with the colourful leaves, swirling them into a funnel. From the corner of his eye, he saw a car round the corner in the distance. It came to complete stop at the stop sign and a back door flew open. Suddenly, a small child leaped out. Gibbs felt his heart skip a beat when he recognised the child as Janessa.

"What on earth…" he muttered as he pulled away from Jenny.

"What is it, Jethro?" said Jenny, following his line of sight and gasping when the realization hit her.

Gibbs took off running when he saw the little girl sprint away from the car and down the street in the middle of the road towards his house. In the distance, at the top of the hill, he could see a pickup truck coming the other way. His heart danced a tango in his chest as he ran as fast as his knees would allow.

"Janessa! Get off the road!" he shouted at her. The wind seemed to carry his voice in the opposite direction.

Gibbs saw the driver of the car, Mark Simmons, jump out and start after Janessa as well. Both of them were calling to the little girl who continued running in the middle of the intersection. Time seem to come to a stop as the pickup truck came around the other curb. Gibbs knew the driver wouldn't be able to see Janessa until he was almost on top of her because of the hill on his street.

"Janessa!" Gibbs shouted again. This time his voice seemed to carry in her direction and she looked up. They made eye contact. "Get off the road!"

Much to Gibbs' dismay, Janessa froze and stopped in the road. She stared at him but didn't move. Gibbs continued running, but he was still a fair distance away. The wind picked up speed again, blowing leaves and debris all around. Simmons gained some ground and, at the last second, reached Janessa as truck tires squealed to a stop. Gibbs stumbled and worked to catch his footing as everything played out in slow motion. Simmons scooped up the little girl in his arms and tumbled hard against the pavement, rolling out of the way of the pickup truck. The driver of the truck slammed on the brakes as soon as he came up the hill, and the truck went squealing and shuddering to a stop, the back end sliding sideways. Another car came up the hill from behind and rear ended the truck, pushing it even further forwards and sideways. The sound of squealing tires and the smell of brake dust filled the air. The world seemed to freeze for several moments while everyone involved froze, breathing hard to recover from the near tragedy.

Gibbs was the first one to gain his wits, and he raced to Janessa and Simmons' side. Gibbs was relieved to see that both of them were uninjured save a few cuts, scrapes and bruises. Mark Simmons' face was white and soaked with sweat. His pupils were dilated from the shock of what had just occurred. Janessa looked at him with wide eyes, oblivious to what had nearly happened to her. Mark sat up suddenly and shook the child in his arms.

"What were you thinking, Janessa?" he shouted at her, his voice unsteady.

Janessa's eyes widened further at the angry, frantic tone of his voice, and she started to cry.

Gibbs clamped a comforting hand on Simmons' shoulder to help him maintain control of his emotions.

"She must have disengaged the child lock on the doors. My car is older…" Mark attempted to explain himself, but Gibbs shook his head. Now wasn't the time for explanations.

Gibbs reached for Janessa and pulled her into his arms. "Are you okay, Ness? Are you hurt?" Gibbs looked her over thoroughly as he balanced her on his hip. Janessa hid her face in his chest and sniffled. Gibbs could feel her trembling. He reached out his hand to help Mark to his feet. The man's hands were cold and clammy.

Janessa's head popped up suddenly. "I missted you, Mr. Gibbs…" Her bottom lip quivered.

Mark placed a gentle hand on the back of Janessa's head and stroked it affectionately. Gibbs made eye contact with him seeing the love swimming in the man's eyes. Gibbs closed his eyes and drew the little girl into his chest. Janessa snuggled in with a soft sigh of contentment. She was a loveable child, and Gibbs had grown to love her. More than he thought possible.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Janessa slept on the sofa with her white stuffed bunny, JellyBeans, tucked under one arm. Mark Simmons sat on a chair opposite nursing a beer, looking more than a little worse for the wear. It had taken several hours to work out what happened with the police, get everything cleared up and towed away. Jenny, Abby, and Ziva had decided to take in a movie together while Aimee was snuggling with Tony and Tim reading one of her favourite books. Gibbs' team seemed more than content to just spend time together these days, not having much of an interest in things other than their own makeshift family. Gibbs sat on the sofa stroking Janessa's soft blonde hair, his mind whirling and his heart still not completely at rest.

"May I be perfectly honest with you, Jethro?" said Mark, breaking the silence.

Gibbs looked at him and nodded. He'd met the man only a handful of times but the two of them seemed to establish a comfortable comradery right from the get go. Gibbs liked him. Better yet, his gut liked him and told him that Mark Simmons was a good guy.

"My wife and I adore Janessa. I think you know that."

"She's an easy kid to love."

"She certainly is. We've always longed for a daughter, and when social services told us about Janessa, we felt like our prayers were being answered. Andrea and I lost our daughter several years ago…" Mark's voice trailed off as his eyes teared up at the memory.

Gibbs felt his stomach flutter and churn, nearly causing the beer he was drinking to make a sudden reappearance. He leaned forward and set the bottle on the coffee table, swallowing hard to keep his inners inside where they belonged.

"I'm sorry for your loss." Gibbs knew the heart break of losing a child. One didn't simply bounce back after that. It left a huge hole in your soul. "I'm glad things are working out so well," replied Gibbs, his heart not in the words he was saying.

"She feels like such a good fit for our family."

Gibbs forced a smile. Janessa would be a good fit for any family.

Mark took another small sip of his beer. "I'll be honest, though, this morning started out a little rocky, and I was forced to discipline her…"

Gibbs looked up, not being able to hide his surprise and concern. "What happened?"

Mark smiled kindly. "Oh, it wasn't a big deal. She was just having a difficult time listening to me. You know… normal kids' stuff and testing boundaries, that kind of thing. Totally expected when a relationship is new."

"Yah, I can understand that." Gibbs had been dealing with that for ages with both girls so he could sympathise.

"Anyway, I put her on a time out, and she had a temper tantrum like I've never seen from her before. She kept calling for you and saying that I'm doing it wrong."

Gibbs narrowed his eyes and frowned. "What did you do?"

"I forced her to sit until she calmed down and made her do the time out afterward."

Gibbs nodded. "Exactly what I'd do." He never wanted the girls to think temper tantrums would get them out of a consequence.

Mark sighed and leaned forward, rubbing the back of his neck. "The thing is, as much as Andrea and I want to keep Janessa, I think she has her heart set on another family."

Gibbs' brows met his hairline in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Mark swallowed and sighed. "I'll be frank." His voice was soft. "Did you know that Janessa calls you her daddy at our house?"

Gibbs' mouth dropped. He didn't know.

Mark managed a small smile. "I thought not. She's done that since the first time we met her. We've tried correcting her and telling her that we plan to adopt her but she won't hear of it. She insists that you are her daddy and you're going to adopt her and Aimee."

Gibbs blanched as he turned to look at the sleeping girl. Almost as if on cue, Janessa snuggled closer to him as he stroked her head.

"Why'd she jump out the car so suddenly?"

Mark grimaced, looking stricken. "She saw you."

Gibbs was taken aback.

"She was happily chattering away about unicorns and magic fairies and as we came up to the top of the hill, she spied you in the distance. She got all excited and was shouting 'I see my daddy'. Next thing I knew she'd opened the door and darted out onto the road."

Gibbs brushed a stray hair off of Janessa's forehead. "You little rascal," he muttered softly as he leaned over and pressed a kiss on her tiny cheek.

"Why are you giving her up, Jethro? It's obvious you adore her, and she certainly has already adopted you…"

Gibbs sighed. It was the same old question that haunted him constantly. "How old are you, Mark?"

"27, why?"

"I'm going to be 51 in the spring."

"So?"

"So, by the time I have grandkids, I'll be pushing up daisies."

Mark smirked. "With all due respect, Sir, my father is 75 and my sons are hard-pressed to keep up with my ole man some days. Age shouldn't be a factor in this."

"Says the kid with two working knees," muttered Gibbs to himself before continuing. "Before the girls came along all I had in my refrigerator was steak and beer. I'd stay up half the night building my boat and drinking bourbon out of a dirty canning jar…"

Mark laughed. "Sounds like a bachelor thing to me, but let me ask you something. What's in your fridge now? Bet it's stocked full of healthy food, isn't it? And when was the last time you stayed up all night drinking bourbon and building that boat?"

Gibbs leaned back and rested his head on the back of the sofa thoughtfully. He couldn't argue with the points Mark was making.

"Don't think for a minute you won't miss her waking you up at 3 am with her cold feet when she sneaks into your bed. Those moments will haunt you."

Gibbs chuckled. "She did it to you too, I see."

Mark laughed. "Yah, she did. Scared us half to death the first night."

"I haven't figured out how to break her from the habit."

"I'd give anything to have my daughter do it again." Mark's eyes watered again.

Gibbs licked his lips. The truth was he often wished the same. It was probably the reason why he truly didn't care that Janessa woke him up at 3 am every night. He never had the heart to scold her because he already knew childhood was fleeting and one day Janessa would be grown up.

Mark finished his beer and stood to his feet, stretching. "I can't tell you what to do, Jethro, and I'd be lying if I said I hope you keep her. I'm a selfish man and truthfully, I want her for myself. But the fact of the matter is Janessa has chosen you as her daddy. Until you make or break that fact, Janessa won't be able to move on."

Gibbs leaned forward and stood up as well. He raked a hand through his hair looking and feeling perplexed. Gibbs extended his hand to shake Mark's. Mark reciprocated with a warm smile, looking down at Janessa longingly.

"Take good care of her, Jethro, and let us know what you decide."

With those words, Mark Simmons turned and left, leaving Gibbs alone with his thoughts.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

 _"Daddy," giggled Kelly. "Sit with me!"_

 _Gibbs carried two ice cream cones in his hands as he sat down in the sand beside his daughter. Kelly took the cone and licked the drips. "Mmm…you always remember that strawberry is my favourite."_

 _Gibbs laughed. "I'm not that old yet, kiddo."_

 _Kelly wrinkled her nose. "Well, your hair is awful gray, daddy. I don't remember it looking like that."_

 _Gibbs poked his tongue out at her which made her giggle some more. Kelly licked her cone and stared out at the waves in the water._

 _"Daddy?"_

 _"Yes, Miss Kelly." Gibbs licked his cone as well while smirking at his giggly little girl._

 _"You're not too old to be a daddy, ya know."_

 _Gibbs laughed, nearly choking on his ice cream. "Well, that's good to know, honey. Thanks for sharing that little tidbit of information with me."_

 _Kelly lowered her cone and looked him straight in the eyes. "I mean it, daddy. Janessa and Aimee need you."_

 _Gibbs jaw dropped as he stared at his beautiful child. As he reached out to touch her cheek, she began to fade into the distance._

 _"Kelly!"_

Gibbs stirred in his sleep and mumbled softly, "Kelly." Then he felt something pinching his nose, and he forced himself to open his eyes. He blinked a few times to focus only to see Janessa right in his face.

"You was snoring, Mr. Gibbs."

Gibbs rolled his head around, trying to get his bearings and realising he had fallen asleep on the sofa alongside Janessa. He sat up and pulled Janessa onto his lap gently.

"I was, was I? What did it sound like?"

Janessa wrinkled his nose and tried to mimic his snore.

Gibbs chuckled.

"You sounds like a scary bear."

"I'll work on it." He tweaked her nose gently and winked at her. "Have a nice nap?"

She scowled. "I didn't want a nap."

Gibbs scooted further back on the sofa, stretching his back out and trying to shake the cobwebs out of his brain. He hadn't exactly wanted a nap either. He had planned to do some thinking while it was quiet.

"Well, I didn't tell you take one. I just wanted you to sit on the sofa and think about what happened."

Janessa dropped her chin. "Alls I wanted was to get home quicker."

"Ya think you can run faster than a car?"

She knit her brows together and shrugged. "I guess not."

Gibbs looked her straight in the eye. "No guesses about it, you can't. I thought you and me talked about this kind of stuff before. You know, no taking off your seatbelt until the car comes to a complete stop…"

"But it did stop, Mr. Gibbs." Janessa's voice was a whine, and she wiggled in his lap a little.

Gibbs wrapped his arm tighter around her waist. "Sit still please."

Janessa stopped fidgeting.

"The car stopped but not in the laneway. You jumped out in the middle of traffic! That's very dangerous. A pickup truck very nearly hit you, Janessa."

Janessa's bottom lip began to tremble as Gibbs spoke firmly to her. He shifted her over to his right knee and rubbed her back a little to comfort her.

"Can you tell me why you jumped out before the car got all the way home?"

Janessa shrugged her shoulders.

Gibbs frowned. "Ness, that isn't an answer."

"But I don't remember."

Gibbs pinched his nose deliberating how he should respond to that.

"I think you do but you're afraid to tell me."

Janessa shook her head, her eyes wide and dry.

"Since you know taking off your seatbelt is not okay, I think you need a consequence to help you remember not to do it again."

Janessa's eyes grew large. "But the car was stoppted, Mr. Gibbs." Her voice bordered on a whine.

"Were you safely in the laneway?"

She shook her head.

"If you weren't in the laneway then why did you undo your seatbelt and jump out?"

Janessa chewed her lip.

"Was Mr. Simmons unkind to you?"

She shook her head again.

"Why then?"

She shrugged again. "I-I dunno."

Gibbs sighed. "Okay."

He quickly tipped her forward across his left knee, bringing his hand down firmly on her backside twice. Janessa stiffened, audibly sucking in a gulp of air in alarm. Gibbs stilled his hand, waiting for her reaction to the swats and after several seconds, he wasn't disappointed. A piercing wail filled the room. Gibbs then added several more swats to the two before sitting her up again and pulling her into his arms. Janessa's shrieks quickly turned to mournful sobs, and Gibbs rocked her, shushing her softly. He knew he probably shouldn't have spanked her, but he couldn't get past the danger she'd put herself in. He decided quickly that he didn't regret his decision. He wanted to make sure she never did anything of the sort ever again.

"I-I'm s-sorry, Daddy," she sobbed. "I j-just missted y-you too much!"

Gibbs' breath caught in his throat. Daddy. She'd just called him daddy. He ran his calloused hand through her messy blonde hair feeling torn between elation and downright panic. What Simmons had told him was true. Janessa had already picked him as her dad. That knowledge scared him to death. What the hell was he supposed to do with that? How was he supposed to respond?

Janessa continued crying, her little shoulders shaking as she sobbed.

Gibbs held her close and kissed her. "Shush now, you're okay."

"I missted you too much. I just did!" she whimpered.

"I missed you too, my sweet little Nessie Monster."

Gibbs closed his eyes tightly trying to hold back his emotions. What else could he say? He did miss her when she was gone, and the thought of anyone taking her away from him was paralysing. Why did he always break his own rules?


	52. Chapter 52

Gibbs knocked on Abby's tip cracked door loudly before entering the room. He couldn't help but notice how quickly she shut her laptop and turn to him with just a hint of colour dusting her cheeks, reminiscent of a child caught with her hand in the cookie jar.

"Hey, Abbs, can you keep an eye on Janessa for me? Tony's resting outside in the gazebo, but I'm positive he's going to crash. He said the pain was bad last night." Abby grimaced in sympathy. "Janessa's in the treehouse, and I'm sure she'll be occupied for a couple of hours with that new rope I installed yesterday."

Abby grinned. "Sure, Gibbs. Where are you off to?"

Gibbs crossed the room and sat in an oversized easy chair beside the window. "Going to see how Aimee is managing today."

Abby narrowed her eyes at him. "Gibbs!" Her voice held a scolding tone to it. "You're not supposed to go anywhere near her today. Didn't you hear what Lydia said?"

Gibbs rolled his eyes. "Since when do I listen to anything that woman says?"

Abby coughed, apparently trying to stifle a laugh. "Good point."

"Hey!" Gibbs laughed. "You're not supposed to agree."

"You said it, I didn't."

Gibbs sobered. "Aimee has been so aloof lately. I don't like it. I'd rather have temper tantrums than silent compliance. It's unnerving."

Abby got up and wrapped her arms around him in a big Abby-sized hug. Gibbs pulled her in close and planted a kiss on her head.

"Hmmm," said Gibbs, enjoying the intimate moment between them. "Thanks, Abby; I needed that."

Abby pulled away and smiled at him. "Of course, anytime, Gibbler."

Gibbs glanced out the window briefly and then turned back looking at Abby, a stern countenance suddenly clouding his features. He wanted to know what she had been so quick to hide from him when he first entered the room.

"Why'd you shut your laptop so fast when I came in?" Gibbs wasn't one to pussyfoot around. When he wanted to know something, he came straight out and asked.

Abby blushed. "What do you mean?" She walked towards her closet, fidgeting with her hands. A dead giveaway to Gibbs that she was up to something she probably shouldn't be or something _she thought_ he thought she shouldn't be.

"Abby." He dragged out her name, a clear warning in his tone.

Abby sighed. "It's nothing, Gibbs. Really."

"Well, how about you show me this nothing and let me judge for myself."

Abby spun on her heel and glared at him. "Gibbs!" She whined, looking annoyed. "I'm a grown woman. I don't need you to supervise my internet usage."

Gibbs stood up and walked towards her desk. "Do you really want to go there, Abbs, after everything we've been through this past couple of months?"

Abby's eyes widened, and she scurried across the room to place her hands on top of the laptop to keep him from opening the lid. She hadn't bothered to password protect it, and the last thing she needed was for Gibbs to see what she'd been doing in that window. Abby put herself between Gibbs and her desk, turning to face him. His body was very close to hers. Intimidatingly close.

"Abby." His voice rose like a frustrated parent. "Show me." His hands went to his hips so naturally that Abby swore the man was a parent in a previous life as well as this one.

"Giiiibbbs," she whined again.

"Abby, stop that and show me. Now!" His tone brooked no room for argument or stalling tactics.

Abby sighed loudly, stomped her foot and turned to open the lid. Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped when she felt a sharp sting to her backside. She whipped around again with her eyes still wide in astonishment. A snarky response came quickly to her lips but died away when Gibbs' icy glare met her. His stern, steely look told her everything she needed to know. The boss man, even though not her boss currently, had had enough. That lowered swat was the equivalent to the patented Gibbs' slap, and it seemed to have been created especially for her. Gibbs' new norm for her and her belligerence, and she didn't like that idea one little bit. She reached back with one hand and attempted to rub the sting out, a pout settling on her face. With the other hand, she turned the laptop sideways and opened the lid. She stepped back to allow him space to view her screen. His brows hit his hairline at a forceful speed.

"Abigail!" He groaned. "What does suspended mean in your world?" His hands remained on his hips, a look of complete frustration consuming his face while still staring at the screen in disbelief.

"Jimmy asked me to take a look…"

Gibbs glared at her as he raised a hand to forestall her explanation. "You are suspended which means no forensics for Jimmy or anyone else at NCIS."

"But…"

"No, buts, Abby. Jimmy had no right to ask for your help period, and I'll be sure to tell him so the next time I see him."

Abby gulped. Jimmy and Ducky often visited after work to share news of goings on at NCIS and autopsy. Plus Ducky couldn't seem to keep himself from checking in on Tony almost daily to be sure the younger man was taking it easy and resting. Abby didn't want to be the one responsible for hard feelings between Gibbs and the autopsy gremlin, as Tony so affectionately called him.

"They just opened a new case, Gibbs, and the forensics are complicated. The new girl just can't seem to…"

Gibbs shot her a look that made her freeze mid-sentence. "I don't care. You are suspended, and that means I don't want to see you working on anything from NCIS. Period. End of story. Do I make myself perfectly clear?" He closed the screen again and picked up the laptop, tucking it under his arm.

Abby's jaw dropped. "What are you doing?"

"If you can't have the self-control to keep your nose out of NCIS business, I'm keeping this blasted contraption with me until the three months are up!" Gibbs made a move towards the door.

Abby eyes widened in complete panic. "GIBBS! You can't do that!" She ran after him and reached out to take the laptop from under his arm. "I need that. My journal is on there, and I skype with my brother every day. He's away in Australia visiting friends. And…and…" Abby gasped for breath as Gibbs stared her down, refusing to release his hold on the computer. "Timmy and I like to play online games together…"

"I'm sure the Elf Lord will survive without you…" replied Gibbs, drily.

Abby stood staring. Her eyes pleaded with him to relent. Several minutes traveled by as they stood at a standstill watching each another. Finally, Gibbs softened and heaved a weary sigh. Holding out the laptop towards her, he managed a small sideways grin.

"Abbs, you're going to be the death of me yet."

Abby looked slightly abashed as she chewed on her lip, taking the laptop and hugging it to her chest.

"I promise…"

"Don't." Gibbs shook his head. "It's obvious you don't have the willpower to keep those promises."

Abby sucked in a bated breath, wondering what his words meant. "But…"

"Nope, listen to me. When Tim gets here after work today, you give that thing to him. I'm going to have him turn it into an NCIS brick."

Abby's brows knitted together. "Gibbs…"

"You heard me," he reiterated. "You don't have the self-control to stay away, and I don't want to keep having this conversation with you. NCIS doesn't want or need your help while you're suspended. They will survive without the likes of us. No cases for me, you or Tony. We can enjoy listening to the horror stories from afar but under no circumstances are any of us going to lend our assistance. Since you can't find the self-control to keep your nose out, I will be your self-control."

Abby huffed in frustration.

Gibbs leaned in and planted a soft kiss on her cheek. Abby turned her head slightly to accept it. It was no use arguing with Gibbs when his mind was made up. It would only serve to make her life unbearable later on. And deep down, she knew he was right. She didn't have the self-control to say no when she was asked for help, even if it meant she was doing something she wasn't allowed.

"Try and stay out of trouble, Abbs."

Abby nodded, forcing herself to look as angelic as possible. Gibbs smirked, shook his head and left the room.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Gibbs grabbed his keys off the table in the front foyer while at the same time firing off a couple of cryptic texts to Tim. He never needed to say much to the young MIT graduate which was a huge relief to him. Tim just seemed born gifted with the ability to speak Gibbsese. A simple group of words sent in a text spoke volumes to Tim. Gibbs merely told him to make Abby's computer a brick. Tim quickly replied with a thumbs up emoticon, no questions asked, just ready compliance. Gibbs sighed in relief. If Abby didn't have the willpower to keep away from NCIS business on her own than Gibbs would damn well do it for her.

Heading out to his car, he noticed that the door to the gazebo was ajar. Frowning, he wandered over to close it thinking Janessa may have left it open in her haste. Mosquitos would be sure to find their way inside and chew Tony to ribbons while he slept, or at the very least drive him crazy. He glanced over at the treehouse to see Janessa stubbornly trying to ascend the rope he had attached. Each time she seemed to make a little headway, her little hands would slip and she'd fall back to the ground. Gibbs chuckled at the little foot stomping dance she did as she came back down yet again, landing with a thump on her bottom. She was a determined little thing, that was for sure.

Gibbs entered the front door to see Tony on his back, fiddling around beneath one of the benches. Gibbs furrowed his brow. "What the hell are you doing, DiNozzo?"

Tony jumped, nearly bumping his head on the bench. Gibbs heard him groan as he slid himself out and gaped at him.

"Loose screw, Boss." Tony sat up with a grimace, favouring his right side as he stood to his feet gingerly.

"I'm pretty sure it could have waited 'til I had time to fix it." Gibbs scolded and reached out to help steady Tony on his feet when his face paled from the exertion of standing up too quickly. "Sit down and rest, Tony. Doc said not to overdo it for a week or two." Gibbs helped Tony back to his lounge chair.

Tony sat down carefully with a groan, and then pounded the side of the chair angrily. "I hate this!"

"Hate what?" asked Gibbs, pulling up another chair and sitting down, watching Janessa fall back down to the ground again. He winced as she landed on her backside much harder than last time. The few swats he'd given her the day before seemed pale in comparison to how hard she landed. He couldn't help but smirk when she stood to her feet and rubbed her bruised behind.

"Being so weak. I feel useless. If it didn't hurt so damned much, I'd show Nessie how to climb that rope ladder. Poor kid is doing it all wrong."

Gibbs chuckled. "Yep, but you've got to admire her tenacity."

"Ohhh, good word, Boss. Tenacity. I like it."

Gibbs reached out and gently rapped Tony on the back of the head. "Shut up, DiNozzo."

Tony grimaced at the jolt.

Gibbs lifted a brow in concern "Is the pain that bad?"

Tony nodded. "Pain killers don't seem to touch it."

Gibbs grabbed the prescription bottle on the side table, squinting at the small print and noticing the number of pills remaining inside.

"How many of these have you taken?"

"A few last night and one today."

"Hold out your hand."

"Why?"  
Gibbs opened the pill bottle. "Gimme your hand." Tony balked. "DiNozzo, you're supposed to keep on top of the pain. That means two every four hours. Trust me I know how bad the pain from a gunshot can be. Why the stubborn aversion to the meds? It's no wonder you're in constant agony."

When Tony still refused to extend his hand, Gibbs forcefully took his hand and dumped two pills in it. He then reached for a bottle of water and handed to the younger man. "Take 'em!"

Tony groaned but obeyed, popping the pills in his mouth and chasing them down with several gulps of cold water.

"Why are you so resistant to it?"

"I don't like the way they make me feel. My head spins, and I feel like I'm floating on a cloud naked in front of my third-grade class."

Gibbs bit back a smirk. "It's Ibuprofen, Tony, not morphine."

"It's Toradol which is ibuprofen if ibuprofen went to the gym every day."

Gibbs had to laugh at the depiction. Leave it to Tony to be so descriptive.

"They gave you a five day supply. Trust me; you will miss it when all you get is Advil. Keep on top of the pain so you can sleep at night. You will feel better and recover faster."

Tony rested his head on the back of the lounge chair, resting his eyes. It looked like permanent frown lines had taken residence on his face even as he lay perfectly still.

"Still having nightmares?"

Tony's eyes popped open in surprise, and he stared at Gibbs.

"The walls have ears, especially at night. I was already used to Abby's wanderings so one more kid to keep an ear out for isn't much."

"I'm not a kid, Boss."

"Yah, I know you're not, Tony." Part of Gibbs wished he was. Seemed like it would have been easier to scare the boogeyman away.

"Sorry, Boss, I'll try not to wake you up anymore…"

Gibbs' voice softened. "Aw hell, DiNozzo, it's not about disturbing my sleep. Why won't you talk to me? You're keeping everything inside and it's not healthy."

Tony laughed dryly. "Says the functional mute," he muttered.

Gibbs looked up at the ceiling with a smirk. "Touché."

Tony sat up straighter. "I can't talk right now. I need more time. Can you understand that?"

"Yah, I can," acknowledged Gibbs slowly, but decided to press further. "My main concern is the nightmares. Sleep terrors are an indication that you're not processing things well. You can't run away from yourself! C'mon, Tony, talk to me. What the hell happened that night?"

Tony's eyes filled and he blinked away the moisture. "I couldn't bear the thought of Stratton…I couldn't risk him…"Tony's voice trailed off. "I called some contacts, traded in a few favours, made a few threats and found out where he was. The underground is insidious but I…"

"You don't need to explain, Tony. I'm a whole hell of a lot older than you. Trust me; I know how underhanded you have to be to get the Intel you need. I've done my own share of things that I'm not proud of so I'm not talking about what you did to get there. Unless you need to confess." Gibbs smirked, eyeing him closely to see his response.

Tony licked his lips, allowing a small smile to linger before it faded away. "No, I have no troubles sleeping at night over that. I'd do it again to nail that bastard!"

"Then what's eating at you?"

Tony blew air out his lips. "Boss, do you ever think we're losing the battle?"

Gibbs thought about it. "Sometimes."

Tony raked a hand through his hair. "For a brief moment, I hesitated. I wanted to make the scumbag suffer, but I also wanted to know what made him tick. If he's dead, we have no clue what he's thinking. Does he need money? Is he crazy? What makes someone wake up one morning and decide he's going to sell humans for profit?"

"Tony…"

"So I trained my weapon on him and asked."

Gibbs felt his heart skip in his chest. He didn't even want to think of what possessed Tony to do that. Every single one of them had been under their own private duress. As much as Gibbs had grown to love the girls, he knew the rest of his team did as well.

"Tony…"

"I know it was stupid but I wanted to understand…even on some basic level."

Gibbs remained quiet.

Tony chuckled sardonically. "Son of a bitch was cocky, though. Stood looking at me, just daring me."

"What did he say, Tony?" Gibbs knew in that moment that Tony was holding back, and he was teetering on the edge of sanity by keeping it to himself.

" _Because I can_." Tony laughed bitterly. "Can you believe it? Everything that madman ever done summed up into three words!" Tony shook his head, looking completely beaten. "He laughed in my face, not even caring I had a gun pointed at him." Tony turned and faced Gibbs. "I let my guard down, Boss, and I never even saw it coming. To this day, I don't remember seeing his weapon or hearing the shot until I felt it. I screwed up and he could have escaped."

Gibbs reached out a hand and rested it on Tony's shoulder. He remained quiet. He wanted to allow Tony the time to express how he was feeling.

Tears freely flowed from Tony's eyes now. "The shot put me to the ground, but all I could see was Aimee and Janessa being endlessly tortured by the bastard. He never expected it or saw it coming. I hit him right between the eyes. He never knew what hit him."

"You did us all a favour, Tony."

"I shouldn't have hesitated."

"Nope, but you're human."

"I should have blown him away on sight."

Gibbs sighed, patting Tony's shoulder before removing his head.

"I broke rule number ten. Again," moaned Tony, rubbing his temples.

"Yeah, that's the rule I've always had the most trouble with."

Tony looked at Gibbs and they both laughed.

"So what do we do about it?"

"I'm still trying to figure that out."

"Are you going to keep them?"

Gibbs sighed. "The million dollar question everyone keeps asking and the answer stays the same. I just don't know."

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

Gibbs raked a hand through his graying hair. A quick glance at his watch told him it was approaching late afternoon. He actually hadn't intended on arriving at Broadview so late in the day, but he also felt like his conversation with his oldest "kid" was a long time coming and worth the time it had taken. Gibbs stuffed his phone in the pocket of his pants after putting it on vibrate and headed to the front entrance of the building. From the outside, it resembled an elementary school. He could see the playground equipment, and he could hear the happy childish laughter emanating from the backyard. That seemed to calm his nerves a little as he entered the front doors. On the wall, handwritten in large black lettering was a buzz code to pass through the first doors. Gibbs frowned as he punched in the code. He understood the need to lock the building, but he still didn't like it. It made him feel like he was entering a prison rather than a children's centre. Once inside he checked in with registration and was forwarded down a hallway towards what they called the Sunflower room. He entered it to see many paintings of beautiful sunflower fields. He sat in one of the plastic chairs and found himself getting lost in the photographs.

Shrill shrieks filled the air causing his heart rate to increase dramatically. Aimee. That was without a doubt Aimee's voice he was hearing. Gibbs felt himself react without thinking. The cry was so piercing and frantic that it set his teeth on edge. There was only one other time he'd heard her scream like that and that was the night they found her and Nessie. Gibbs was on his feet right away, rushing out the door to follow the sound. Aimee was hysterical, and he couldn't get to her fast enough.

Rushing down the corridor after the sound, he found himself outside a door with a large frosted window on it. He was just able to see inside through the number set into the glass. Aimee was standing facing a wall with her hands covering her face, screaming at the top of her lungs. Gibbs grabbed the door handle wanting to rip the door from its hinges and go to her, but he found it locked. He frantically banged on the door not really knowing how it would help. Maybe if she turned and saw him it would comfort her a little and break the hysterical panic she seemed to be in. But she didn't turn towards him, no matter how much he willed it to be so. She just continued to shriek. It was a cry of complete panic and horror, not anything like the normal belligerent temper tantrum stuff he'd grown accustomed to. Gibbs kept pounding the door, and from the corner of his eye, he could see two adults sitting in the room at what look like school desks.

Gibbs frowned angrily. "What the hell?" he muttered out loud.

The two adults in the room were looking at Aimee, and each other and jotting down notes but otherwise just not reacting to her alarming behaviour in any way. Plus they were also ignoring his incensed pounding on the door like they couldn't even hear it. If he could hear Aimee, there was no way they couldn't hear him.

"Let me in, damn it! She's panicking! Can't you tell the difference?" Gibbs pounded on the door with his both fists. His own heart rate was accelerating as he watched Aimee standing so rigidly, screaming.

"Mr. Gibbs!"

Gibbs spun on his heel to see Lydia Parker hurrying down the hallway looking very annoyed.

"Kindly keep your voice down! It is difficult enough to keep the children relaxed when another child is having a temper tantrum."

Gibbs' brows hit his hairline. "THAT is no tantrum! I've been on the receiving end of her tantrums. THAT, Miss Parker, is the sound of a child in distress! Why the hell are those people just standing observing and not helping her?"

Miss. Parker lowered her voice further, giving him an exasperated look. "Mr. Gibbs, Aimee has been with us all day, and all she has done is exhibit combative behaviour. This display is her answer to not getting her own way. At Brookside, this will not be tolerated."

Gibb's jaw dropped. The woman's voice was not only condescending but flippant as well.

"Let me in that room! Now!" Gibbs' own voice held an authority that made the social worker flinch in spite of her calm bravado.

"Mr. Gibbs…"

"If you do not open that door, I will knock the damn thing down! Just test me to see if I won't," he dared.

Miss Parker's eyes widened and she took several steps back. "I do not…"

Gibbs guessed by her expression and slow response that she didn't have keys to the door and possibly not even the authority to intervene on Aimee's behalf.

"Do you have a cell phone?" Now it was his turn to be sarcastic.

The woman licked her lips cautiously and pulled out her phone, eyeing him with disdain. Gibbs glared at her as he turned to watch Aimee. The panicked scream only stopped long enough for her to inhale before it started again. It reminded Gibbs of a stray cat being attacked and slowly shaken to death by a wild animal. He didn't think it was possible for a child to scream that loudly and for so long. He was surprised she wasn't hoarse by now.

His heart danced the tango in his chest when someone appeared right at the window startling him. He heard the door unlock and without a moment's hesitation, he burst into the room towards Aimee.

"What on earth is going on, Lydia?" demanded the gentleman who had opened the door.

Gibbs did not hear her reply. His focus was solely on Aimee.

He reached her side and fell to his knees, grabbing her gently by the arms and pulling them from her ears. He kept his distance, knowing her first reaction was to strike out to defend herself. Her face was beat red, and her eyes were staring straight ahead, pupils alarmingly dilated. She inhaled again and continued screaming.

From behind him, he heard a male voice. "Mr. Gibbs, you do not have the authorization to intrude on this counseling session. I would appreciate it if you would return to the Sunflower room."

Gibbs looked up, his face deadpan. Counselling Session? Was that what they called it here?

Gibbs rose to his feet, still holding Aimee's arms gently. "I will only say this once, so listen closely. Back off!"

The man's brows rose in alarm, and he took several steps backward.

"Lydia," He barked. "Call the Administrator."

"Yes, Miss Parker," echoed Gibbs. "You get your administrator. I'd love to have a chat with him about this as well." Gibbs' eyes darkened dangerously, and the other three adults in the room backed away in dismay. Aimee continued to howl like a feral animal, making Gibbs feel overwhelming dread.

Gibbs lowered himself to the floor once again, and this time he drew her into a tight embrace. He felt her body stiffen and despite her already ear splitting cry, she managed to increase the volume further. Gibbs grimaced, his ears ringing but he kept hugging her in what he felt like was a weak attempt to calm her down.

"Aims, it's me. Gibbs." He whispered into her ear. "Shush, calm down, honey. You're safe. No one is going to hurt you."

Aimee didn't seem to hear him. She didn't fight him, but stood rigid in his arms and kept screaming, stopping only long enough to breathe. Gibbs kept whispering and rocking her in his arms. Slowly, after several minutes, her body started to relax and her screaming became softened. He kept rocking her and then began humming softly. He didn't know many kids songs, but he did know all the verses to _Mama's going to buy you a Mocking bird,_ so he sang it, softly at first, and then louder to help block out her screaming. He felt her relax further, and her screaming turned to sobs. She finally melted into the embrace.

"That's right, kiddo. You're safe, baby. I'm here. Nobody is going to hurt you!"

Gibbs pulled away and looked at her face, brushing her long blonde hair away from her eyes and red face. Her eyes looked less alarmed, and he could feel her heart rate slow down.

"G-Gibbs," she stammered, struggling to catch her breath as she realised who was holding her. She leaned into him with a desperate look on her face.

He winked at her. "Hey, Squirt. Welcome back." He was glad to see that she was calming down and recognising him once again. "You okay? Tell me what's wrong?"

Her eyes were dilated, and her skin was wet with cold sweat. Her lips were white and dry. Gibbs noticed broken blood vessels in and around her eyes. His heart nearly crumbled to pieces as he looked at the small child trying to regain her self-control.

"H-He's gonna k-kill me."

Gibbs frowned. "Who's going to kill you?"

Aimee's breathing started to escalate more, her whole body convulsing in tremors.

"M-my daddy."

Gibbs blinked, feeling his mouth go dry. He didn't know what would make her say such a thing. Had Brody been in touch with her somehow without him knowing about it? Had someone at the centre mentioned the man to her? He'd noticed that she'd been distant lately and keeping to herself but he'd attributed that to Janessa being away. He cupped her face in his large, calloused hands, wiping away the cascade of tears that traveled down her cheeks with his thumb.

"Aimee, you listen to me closely, alright?" He paused to pull her chin up further so that he had her eye contact. "Are you listening?" Aimee nodded, blinking back tears. "You are safe. I will not let him hurt you. I promise."

Aimee's face clouded and she pulled her face away. "You can't say that!" she bellowed, taking several steps back.

Gibbs frowned. He reached out to pull her into his arms but she backed away further.

"You're making us go away!"

"Aims, I'm not making you go away…"

Aimee continued trembling as tears. "Yes, you are. You don't want us. I hate it here! They make me feel like a freak!"

Gibbs reached out and pulled her close, despite her protest. "How?"

Aimee blinked.

"How do they make you feel like a freak?"

Her eyes narrowed. "I just want to go home, Gibbs. Please, can we just go home?"

Gibbs stared at her eyes for several minutes. He looked at the pleading in her eyes and his mind wandered to his run-ins with Janessa as well. How much more was it going to take before he realised what his heart already knew?

Gibbs stood to his feet as the Administrator entered the room. Esther Ramsey was a formidable woman. She wore a tailored dress suit and black high heels. In one hand she held her cell phone and in the other a file folder. Her face displayed a no nonsense expression. Under other circumstances, Gibbs might have welcomed an opportunity to enlighten her on her centre and what he thought of it. As it was, he just wanted to get Aimee as far away as he could.

"What is going on here?" she demanded as she set the items in her hand on the nearest table and crossed her arms.

The only other man in the room spoke first. "This gentleman barged into the room in the middle of a therapeutic session."

Gibbs choked. "Therapeutic session? Is that what you call that?" He was biting the inside of his cheek for fear he'd say something he'd regret later.

Esther looked at him with a grim expression before turning to speak to Lydia Parker.

"I thought you informed Mr. Gibbs about his rights as a foster parent and that he wasn't to set foot on the premises until it was time to pick the child up."

Miss Parker's face flushed. "I did, Ma'am. I assure you; I took great pains to…"

Gibbs cut her off. "Oh, trust me; Miss Parker did her share of telling me the rules." Gibbs leaned down and picked Aimee up into his arms. He felt her wrap her legs around his waist and cling to him in a vice-like grip. It was clear the child was terrified.

"I kindly ask that you leave the child here with Mr. Findley and Mrs. MacIntyre, and we can resume this conversation in my office." Esther looked firmly at him before turning to face the social worker. "Miss Parker, I'd like you to join us as well?"

Gibbs shifted Aimee's weight on his hip as he felt her cling tighter. "I am taking Aimee home. If you wish to speak with me further, feel free to contact me tomorrow."

Gibbs began walking towards the door.

"Mr. Gibbs!" interjected Esther, with an obvious voice of authority. She was used to her orders being followed, and Gibbs was clearly pissing her off. "You do not have the authority to take that child."

Gibbs turned to face her and the others in the room. "Administrator, Aimee will not be returning to this place. If you really want to get into this now, I will gladly tell you exactly what I think of your so- called therapeutic sessions. Look at Aimee's face!" Gibbs felt the little girl hide her face in his shoulder. "Her eyes are filled with broken blood vessels from screaming in frightened panic while your _therapists_ watched her! If THAT isn't abuse then I don't know what is!" Gibbs felt his voice catch in his throat. He checked himself for a moment not knowing if he could keep his emotions in check.

"Mr. Gibbs, I assure you, Aimee was not in danger. We deal with temper and anger every day in this centre. We do, after all, specialise in anger management. You underestimate my staff, sir."

Gibbs scoffed. "I am taking Aimee home."

"Mr. Gibbs, if you remove Aimee from this centre, I will be forced to call the authorities."

The information made Gibbs look up with a smirk. "May I suggest Sergeant Miller at DCPD? He and I go way back. Or, wait, better yet, since Aimee's care is under military jurisdiction, you really should call NCIS. Ask for Jennifer Shephard. She's the director." Gibbs paused, his look nothing short of menacing. "Or better yet, why not go straight to the top and call the secretary of the Navy."

Esther fell silent.

Gibbs wrapped his arms tightly around Aimee and walked out.

 _ **A/N Thanks for the reviews. Probably only one more chapter to go.**_

 ** _I've enjoyed writing this story...it was much longer than I anticipated. Thanks for reading along and for the encouragement along the way._**


	53. Chapter 53

He sat in the darkness lost in his thoughts. He could feel Aimee's small body pressed against his. Anytime he'd tried to escape from the room, she would whimper tearing at his heartstrings and fasten him in place. Her breath still held a small shudder to it as it evened out in sleep. It had taken Gibbs a long time to calm her enough to fall asleep in the first place. She's refused to eat or drink but just clung to him. She didn't talk but just continued crying until she fell into a fretful sleep. As much as his own body was on the verge of emotional exhaustion from the past several months, he couldn't quiet his mind enough to seek peace in sleep. At this rate, he would never be given the clearance from his doctor to return to work. His blood pressure was through the roof, and he normally didn't have blood pressure issues. It was stress plain and simple. Well, and sleeplessness brought on his own indecisiveness and so much more. His mind wouldn't allow him to rest.

Gibbs turned to stare at the clock blinking 12:00. Some huge storms had blown through the region the past couple of days, knocking out the hydro more than once. He hadn't bothered to set his clock thinking it would only be a matter of time until they lost power again. Besides, he didn't even care to know the time. He just wanted a little tranquility.

He hadn't explained much to Abby and Tony when he'd returned. They both looked beside themselves with concern but he didn't have the strength to explain things. If he didn't calm down first, he'd drive back to Broadview and throttle every single adult in that facility. What the hell kind of place would stand idly by and watch a terrified child panic without offering her any kind of solace? Gibbs knew he was a bastard but even he would offer the most wretched scumbag a glass of water if he needed it. There was such a thing as compassion for another human being. And Aimee was a child, a frightened little girl, who was all alone in the world with no one to advocate for her.

Gibbs lifted his head from the wall and forced it back harder, smacking it against the wall with a fair bit of force. He winced. He hated himself in that moment. What if it had been Kelly all alone in the world? Gibbs looked down at Aimee in the darkness. The moon cast a shadow across her face, illuminating the tears that still lingered on her cheeks. He traced the broken blood vessels below her eyes with his thumb and grimaced. Once morning came, Broadview would rue the day he ever set foot in that centre. Never again would a child be allowed to cry with such intensity without receiving help. He might not be a bureaucrat but he sure as hell knew abuse when he saw it. It would never happen again if he had anything to do with it. He could not fathom in a million years how anyone would have mistaken Aimee's cries for temper rather than the terror it had been. They were idiots!

He heard a soft knock on the door, and his eyes were assaulted with bright light when someone entered. Gibbs blinked several times to help his eyes grow accustomed.

"Why are you sitting in the dark, Jethro?"

Gibbs leaned his head back again. "Afraid to move."

"How is she?"

"I dunno, Jenn."

Jenny came fully into the room, switching on the light on the side table by the door. Gibbs blinked some more but didn't move. Jenny walked around the bed and climbed into it, stretching out her toned legs. Gibbs rolled his head sideways taking in her beauty and familiar scent. For several seconds he was brought back in time, and he had to force himself to blink away the memories.

"What happened?"

Gibbs took a deep breath. "Who called you?"

"Abby."

Gibbs groaned.

"Jethro, she was worried. She said Aimee was having a fit, and you barreled up the stairs barking at everyone to stay away."

"It's not exactly easy to keep your head when a kid is screaming in your ear."

Jenny nodded. "So, what set her off this time?"

Gibbs looked down at Aimee who whimpered again in her sleep. He ran a soothingly gentle hand through her sweaty brow, and she quieted once again.

"She was having an anxiety attack when I got to Broadview. I've never seen anything like it from her since the first night she was here after the murders. It was like she was having a nightmare but she was fully awake. I could hardly pull her out of it, and when I finally did, she was shaking from terror."

Jenny looked at Aimee in dismay. "Oh, my goodness, that poor child! What did the counselors say?"

Gibbs gritted his teeth. "They said it was a temper tantrum and not interfere!"

Jenny's eyes widened.

Gibbs forced himself to breathe deeply. He didn't want to think about that centre anymore. The more he did the more he felt like his head would explode. Gibbs felt his throat thicken. He'd been thinking more and more about what he wanted to do, and what he felt was the right thing to do. It was getting harder to distinguish the difference anymore. He didn't know if he was just completely incapable of rational thought or if he was just losing his mind. Maybe both.

"Tell me I'm crazy, Jenn." He muttered with deep anguish in his voice.

Jenny frowned. "Jethro." Her voice was so damned soothing; it was all he could do not to reach out to her for the comfort he so desperately craved. Aimee stirred again, possibly feeling his muscles tense. He continued to stroke her hair to relax the anxiety that still showed in her features.

"Damn it, I want to keep them…" Gibbs heard the words tumble off his lips, and he closed his eyes, unable to believe his own lunacy.

He felt Jenny's hand on his hand. He opened his eyes and turned to face her. The look on her face was hard to read and it made his heart race in his chest, not sure if she approved or thought he was indeed insane.

"Then keep them." Her voice was even and calm.

Gibbs groaned. "Jenn, you're supposed to be the voice of reason. Tell me I'm crazy, smack some sense into me, but don't agree with me. Damn it, that's not helpful…"

Jenny moved her hand and pulled herself to sit up higher on the bed. "Jethro, the only one stopping you from making this decision is you. I can't tell you what to do. But I do know one thing. You need to make up your mind because this state of limbo is hurting everyone."

Gibbs groaned loudly and this time moved away from Aimee. He held his breath, praying she wouldn't wake. He needed to stand up and pace. Sitting so still for so long was making him feel claustrophobic. Aimee's head rolled and she whimpered again. Jenny reached out and hushed her lovingly, brushing a tender hand over her cheek. Aimee quieted again at the affectionate touch.

"You have to talk sense into me…"  
"No, I don't. For once, you're talking sense."

Gibbs scowled at her and started his pacing. He ran a hand through his hair and huffed in frustration.

"What do I know about parenting?"

"A lot. You already have four kids." Jenny smirked.

Gibbs wasn't amused. "I'm old and grumpy. I work long hours. I…"

"You're 50, and you don't get enough sleep. You work too much, and you never take a vacation."

"I build boats in my basement and burn them. I'm bitter. I hold grudges."

"You're a talented woodworker who uses his artistic gift to bless others. You don't talk enough and you skip your counseling sessions every year."

Gibbs stopped pacing and glowered at her. "Damn it, Jenn. You know I'm a bastard…"

Jenn slid her feet to the floor and stood up as well. Gibbs was relieved when Aimee didn't stir this time. He could see her eyes fluttering and knew that she had finally reached a deeper stage of sleep. Jenny crossed the floor and stood in front of him.

"I've seen you with kids, Gibbs." Gibbs winced. Jenny didn't often call him by his surname, but when she did, it always got his attention. "Those girls need you. They need someone who will stand up and be the kind of man they need in their lives. Aimee needs you. She needs you to fight for her. You've already formed a bond with her. She loves you…"

"She loves to make me crazy," he muttered.

Jenny put her hands on his chest as she drew closer. "You may not have noticed how she looks at you when you're busy. It's a look of pleading and wistfulness."

Gibbs grabbed Jenny by the wrists and pulled her hands away. He growled and put his hands on his hips. "How will I balance raising two kids and working at NCIS?"

Jenny punched him lightly in the left shoulder. Gibbs winced.

"Ouch."

"Don't be a baby! That didn't hurt."

Gibbs relented and a smirk came to his lips briefly before melting away. "Please, Jenn. Help me figure this out!"

Jenny walked closer and put her arms around him. "You're going to have to make some changes, Jethro, but it's not impossible. Tony is one hell of an agent and you know it. He can lead that team just as well as you. Start there. And Lord knows you don't need to work such long hours. You chose it…"

"Jenn, sometimes cases dictate…"

"You would not be the first agent at NCIS with kids. Other people make it work and so can you. Tony, Tim, and Ziva are single with no kids, and they are perfectly capable agents. They don't need you breathing down their necks twenty-four hours a day. You do your eight hours and go home. Kids grow up. Cold cases grow dust."

"Abby?"

"Abby is a grown woman."

Gibbs lifted a brow.

Jenny smirked, relenting. "Well, okay, so, maybe we all need to help you keep an eye on Abby. The point I'm trying to make is that you aren't alone in this. You have a family who loves those kids as much as you do.

Gibbs held Jenny close and rested his chin on her soft, auburn hair. He inhaled deeply and closed his eyes, concentrating on the sounds in the room. The soft, finally peaceful, breathing of a small child that had stolen his heart. A distance ticking from an alarm clock he'd long since forgotten he had, carelessly tossed into his side table. The annoying drip from a leaky faucet in the bathroom that he hadn't made time to fix. The sound of his own heart in his throat. It felt like his pulse just never stopped racing anymore.

"It's okay to admit you're scared, Jethro."

Gibbs licked his lips as he remained fixed to his spot, still embracing Jenny. Her words felt like lead in the pit of his stomach. Was that it? Was he scared? Was that why he hesitated? He'd remembered being terrified when Kelly was born. Shannon had encouraged him that Kelly wouldn't break and that he could hold her and love her. He had been nervous the first time. An innocent little life, so vulnerable and fragile, dependent on him for life. It was terrifying.

Gibbs cleared his throat. "Shannon told me the same thing when Kelly was born."

"You don't talk much about her. Kelly, I mean," said Jenny, pulling away.

Gibbs put took Jenny's hands and pulled them up to his mouth to kiss. "It's easier not to."

Jenny nodded.

Aimee stirred again, causing Gibbs to drop Jenny's hands. The little girl bolted up in the bed, her eyes wide open in fear and distress once again. Her small mouth opened to gasp for breath. Gibbs rushed to her side and enveloped her in his arms.

"Hey there, Aims."

Aimee blinked a few times and relaxed against him. "I was scared you left." She managed.

"Wild boars couldn't drag me away."

Jenny covered her mouth to stifle a giggle. Aimee looked over at her as a small smile crept to her lips. Gibbs felt her body relax further.

"He says dumb stuff, huh?" Aimee's words were directed at Jenny who walked over and sat on the side of the bed.

"All. The. Time," she agreed.

"Hey!" complained Gibbs.

"Wild boars?" questioned Jenn.

Gibbs bit his lip then broke out into a grin. The three of them laughed. Gibbs felt some of the tension leave the room.

"You feeling any better?" He asked her, gently giving her a comforting squeeze.

Aimee sobered once again and shook her head.

Jenny stood up and went to move towards the door. "I think I'll head home and leave you two to talk."

Aimee shook her head. "No, please, Director Shepard. Stay."

Jenny nodded and returned to the bed, sitting down once more.

"Aims, I think you and me need to have a talk."

Aimee nodded and then she pulled away from him. Sliding forwards, she turned, faced them both and crossed her legs. The light in the room cast shadows on her face making the bruising under her eyes more pronounced. Gibbs had to remind himself to stay calm lest he decide to say or do something stupid. It took all his willpower to not pound some heads together at Broadview.

"I'm sorry about today, Aimee. I didn't know it would be like that.." Gibbs stopped. Were his words true? Did he really think it would be good in any way or was he just looking for an easy way out? Making excuses.

Aimee's eyes filled with tears but she blinked them back. She shrugged her shoulders.

"I meant what I said. Brody will not hurt you. I will make sure of it."

"You can't," she muttered. Her voice sounded defeated.

"Oh, yes, he can," assured Jenny, moving closer to Aimee on the bed.

Gibbs pulled himself back and leaned on the bed frame once again. He drew in a deep breath and exhaled sharply, puffing out his cheeks. His heart and head were screaming at him making him feel disconcerted until finally he put his hands to his head and silently shouted _enough_.

"Director Shepard has known me a long time, Aims. She's right; I can and I will keep you safe!" Gibbs leaned forward and grabbed Aimee gently by her forearms. "Aimee Percy, do you think I'm old?"

Aimee looked taken aback. The question had seemed to come out of left field. "N-no. Not exactly."

Gibbs smirked. "Do you think I'm grouchy?"

A smile of mischief sprang to her face. "Wellll…" The word was drawn out and small spark ignited in her brown eyes.

Gibbs groaned. "Okay, so don't answer that."

Aimee and Jenny giggled.

"How would you feel about having an old, grouchy man for a dad?"

Aimee's face paled and her bottom lip trembled. She looked unsure whether she should answer that question.

Gibbs stood up, pulled Aimee over to the edge of the bed. He knelt down in front of her, holding her clammy hands in his as he looked deeply into her eyes.

"Aimee, would you do me the honour of letting me be your dad? I promise I will to love, cherish and take care of you for as long as I live."

Jenny's eyes filled with tears.

Aimee blinked, staring at him, her eyes wide in disbelief. Gibbs kissed her forehead, waiting patiently for his words to sink in. It was crazy. It made no sense. He was old. He was a grouch. He was a workaholic. He had no idea how he would ever parent two girls but, at the same time, never in his life had he felt surer of a decision than he did about this one.

"Y-you want me?" Tears fell down her cheeks.

He rolled his eyes. "Do I want you?" Gibbs stood up and pulled Aimee into his arms, looking at her incredulously. "Do cats meow?"

Aimee giggled. "Can we get a cat?"

Gibbs chuckled at the mischief that danced in her eyes. "Just answer the question, you little twerp."

Aimee answered by wrapping her arms around his neck tightly.

"Is that a yes?" he choked out, feigning being strangled.

He felt her head nodding into his neck and then tiny little sobs filled the air.

Gibbs put a hand on the back of her head gently as Jenny stood to her feet. She came to his side as he rocked Aimee in his arms. Jenny grinned at him and he returned the grin. He garnered strength in Jenny's proud smile. It made he feel like he'd made the right decision. He hadn't picked the easy road but he'd certainly picked the rewarding one.

—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—NCIS—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—ooOOoo—

 ** _Author's note:_**

 ** _I think I'm going to leave things here for this story._**

 ** _The End or Is it the beginning?_**

 ** _Gibbs is going to be a dad! Pass the cigars!_**

 ** _Come on, how could he not keep them? :)_**

 ** _I'm thinking I'd like to do a sequel about Gibbs adopting the girls. It would include more of dealing with David Brody as well as Gibbs balancing work and parenting. It would include some JIBBS of course, as well as some shenanigans of Abby back at work and getting in over her head, Tony taking on a more leadership role, Tim and Ziva will be in it as well...just need to do some brainstorming to see what comes to me. There is sure to be peril, romance, parenting dilemmas and lots of relationship/family stuff that I like writing._**

 ** _Let me know if anyone is interested in me continuing to write in this universe. If enough of you are interested and willing to support me in my endeavor, I will brainstorm some ideas and see what comes out of this head of mine._**

 ** _It's been fun writing in the NCIS fandom._**

 ** _Love, Jenny Wrens_**


End file.
